Family of UPNG undergraduate shot dead demands ward councillor’s surrender
News that matters in Papua New Guinea
 |
| Stenic’s family members demand shooter’s surrender to police. - Pic courtesy of The National |
Family of UPNG undergraduate shot dead demands ward councillor’s surrender
PORT MORESBY: The family of the Uuniversity of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) undergraduate who was shot dead by a ward councillor in a market in Jiwaka on Dec 14 has declared that they want peace.
They also said that they did not want compensation, only justice for Stenic Whome Poiya, 25, a UPNG tourism and hospitality final year student.
 |
| Stenic’s nephew Phil (left), elder brother James (holding up Stenic’s picture) with another brother Michael. - Pic courtesy of The National |
They have demanded the surrender of the ward councillor shooterto the police to face the full brunt of the law.
PNG Cyber Monitor found a detailed report on the shooting published by The National:
Family wants peace
Stenic Poiya’s nephew Phil (left), elder brother James holding Stenic’s picture with another brother Michael.
By NATHAN WOTITHE family of the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) undergraduate who was allegedly shot dead by a ward councillor in a market in Jiwaka on Dec 14 wants peace but demanded that the suspect surrender to the police.
“I have made the hardest decision of my life. I don’t want my community and my people to be destroyed. That is why I am putting Stenic (Whome Poiya)’s death in the hands of the Almighty God to serve my people, the people of Jiwaka, and Papua New Guinea,” Stenic’s eldest brother James told The National.
“I want this to be an example so that the country, the police and all organisations can see and recognise what we are doing to ensure law and order and safety of other innocent lives. I put this matter in the hands of the police for law and order to take its course”,” he added.
James, who had been returned unopposed for 25 years as Kindeng Village’s Onbi Kwipi Tribe councillor, said: “Experience and service to villagers and their faith in me are telling me to call for peace.
“It is a great loss to my family, tribe, community, district, province and country. My younger brother had just completed his studies in UPNG. We were looking forward for his graduation in April but this tragedy has happened, killing our hopes and dreams.
“My brother had generally been a human resource for the community, province and country. We are simply devastated. He was a young man, just a 25-year-old bachelor with a bright future ahead of him after the family had invested so much in his education,”
Stenic’s second elder brother, Michael, a businessman, said: “We will not accept compensation or bel kol from the Onbi Depi tribe. We want them to work with the police to have the shooter arrested. We don’t want anything but for the killer to face the full force of the law.
“For Stenic, it is God that gives and take. Stenic was a university student, so we know God will bless our family with more university students.” Community leader and businessman John Dusty Mek said the neighbouring communities who were harbouring the killer ward councillor must surrender him to the police. “He committed a serious crime and now he must serve time in prison. We want them to help us have him arrested,” he added.
Stenic and four friends were walking home from Kindeng Market at about 8pm on Dec 14 when the gun-toting councillor fired at least three rounds, chasing a thief who was believed to have broken into his store. Two shots hit the store’s walls and a third hit Stenic.
Stenic, a UPNG tourism and hospitality final year student, was spending his holiday in the village.
“I have made the hardest decision of my life. I don’t want my community and my people to be destroyed. That is why I am putting Stenic (Whome Poiya)’s death in the hands of the Almighty God to serve my people, the people of Jiwaka, and Papua New Guinea,” Stenic’s eldest brother James told The National.
“I want this to be an example so that the country, the police and all organisations can see and recognise what we are doing to ensure law and order and safety of other innocent lives. I put this matter in the hands of the police for law and order to take its course”,” he added.
James, who had been returned unopposed for 25 years as Kindeng Village’s Onbi Kwipi Tribe councillor, said: “Experience and service to villagers and their faith in me are telling me to call for peace.
“It is a great loss to my family, tribe, community, district, province and country. My younger brother had just completed his studies in UPNG. We were looking forward for his graduation in April but this tragedy has happened, killing our hopes and dreams.
“My brother had generally been a human resource for the community, province and country. We are simply devastated. He was a young man, just a 25-year-old bachelor with a bright future ahead of him after the family had invested so much in his education,”
Stenic’s second elder brother, Michael, a businessman, said: “We will not accept compensation or bel kol from the Onbi Depi tribe. We want them to work with the police to have the shooter arrested. We don’t want anything but for the killer to face the full force of the law.
“For Stenic, it is God that gives and take. Stenic was a university student, so we know God will bless our family with more university students.” Community leader and businessman John Dusty Mek said the neighbouring communities who were harbouring the killer ward councillor must surrender him to the police. “He committed a serious crime and now he must serve time in prison. We want them to help us have him arrested,” he added.
Stenic and four friends were walking home from Kindeng Market at about 8pm on Dec 14 when the gun-toting councillor fired at least three rounds, chasing a thief who was believed to have broken into his store. Two shots hit the store’s walls and a third hit Stenic.
Stenic, a UPNG tourism and hospitality final year student, was spending his holiday in the village.
Meanwhile, Jiwaka commander Chief Insp Gideon Kauke said police were trying to find out where and how the councillor got the gun that was used in the killing. “We need to identify the gun to determine whether the councillor had the licence to carry it and where or how he got it. We have no information on the gun,” he said, appealing to community leaders to provide information on the whereabouts of the councillor who is on the run.
Comments
Post a Comment