Two (2) grade 12 students in Wabag, Enga province, were gang-raped and one killed while the other escaped.
Enga provincial police commander Supt George Kakas said yesterday that about fifteen (15) men gang-raped the two girls (names withheld) beside a river near Pawas market in Wabag.
He said the deceased and her friend, who attended Kopen Secondary School outside Wagab, were drinking alcohol last Friday after school with the suspects.
Supt Kakas said the suspects mostly high on marijuana and home-brew then gang-raped the two girls.
He said in the process, they killed one and threw her body into the river and the other managed to break free and escape.
Supt Kakas said the body of the deceased student was found the next day.
He said two suspects have been arrested and are in the cells at Wabag police station.
He said police are questioning the two suspects.
The other suspects are known and we are expecting them to voluntarily surrender to the police or police will hunt them.
Supt George Kakas
Supt Kakas said the suspects were not all from Pawas, they were from different villages in Wabag.
He said the suspects will face murder, rape and other appropriate charges.
He said police are continuing their investigation.
Mr Kakas expressed concern that Pawas market is becoming a breeding ground for criminals.
He urged law abiding citizens to take extra precaution when going to Pawas market.
Meanwhile, he said the special police operation, ‘Restoration Wabag’, has brought normalcy back into the town. Supt Kakas said, the general law and order situation in town has calmed down after four weeks.
We will continue for another month and bring normalcy.
Kakas
He said police and a company of PNG Defense Force soldiers from Moem Barracks in Wewak would continue to set road checks, search suspicious people moving around town, patrolling the roads and town, both during the day and night.
He warned people not to bring any forms of weapons into town.
Supt Kakas urged people to respect the town and refrain from creating problems.
He said police and security forces want people to move around town freely without fear in the town.
Supt Kakas said they had enough problems during the election and want peace and harmony to prevail.