Gunmen refuse to release body of SDA missionary, fate of 14 others still unknown
News that matters in Papua New Guinea
One SDA missionary shot dead, 14 others missing
Gunmen refuse to release body of SDA missionary, fate of 14 others still unknown
PORT MORESBY: The armed robbers who ambushed and shot dead a Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church missionary have refused to release the body.
The fate of 14 other SDA missionaries are also still unknown.
The group of 15 missionaries was on their way to Porgera’s Paiela in Enga on March 2, 2020, when they ran into the gunmen. (This is the earlier report: https://pngcybermonitor.blogspot.com/2020/03/sda-church-missionary-among-six-killed.html - SDA church missionary among six killed in Western and Eastern Highlands violence)
The National has this follow-up report:
Gunmen refuse to release body
By JAMES GUMUNOTHE body of a missionary killed in an ambush in Paiela, Porgera cannot be taken out from there because of threats by gunmen, a pastor says.
President of Western Highlands Mission, Rev Malachi Yani said yesterday from the Seventh-day Adventist church office in Mt Hagen that the fate of about 15 members of church were still unknown.
“They were taking a bush track to Paiela for pre-harvest campaign for the upcoming big crusade to be held in May in Mt Hagen when the gunmen ambushed them,” he said.
He asked for assistance from the management of Porgera gold mine who provided a helicopter to fly into the area to locate the missing church members.
But it cannot fly into the area because of the security threats from the gunmen.
“The chopper was supposed to fly there last Saturday (to bring back) the body of late Martin David,” he said. “(But) the gunmen said the chopper can pick up the body of late David and other bodies as well.”
Yani said they feared that this might mean the bodies of the church members held captive.
“Right now, the church does not know about the fate of other church members. We only know about late David’s killing,” he said.
Yani said provincial police commander acting Supt Epense Nili and the station commander in Porgera had been informed.
But they had not told him what action police would take.
Attempts to get in touch with police for comments were unsuccessful.
President of Western Highlands Mission, Rev Malachi Yani said yesterday from the Seventh-day Adventist church office in Mt Hagen that the fate of about 15 members of church were still unknown.
“They were taking a bush track to Paiela for pre-harvest campaign for the upcoming big crusade to be held in May in Mt Hagen when the gunmen ambushed them,” he said.
He asked for assistance from the management of Porgera gold mine who provided a helicopter to fly into the area to locate the missing church members.
But it cannot fly into the area because of the security threats from the gunmen.
“The chopper was supposed to fly there last Saturday (to bring back) the body of late Martin David,” he said. “(But) the gunmen said the chopper can pick up the body of late David and other bodies as well.”
Yani said they feared that this might mean the bodies of the church members held captive.
“Right now, the church does not know about the fate of other church members. We only know about late David’s killing,” he said.
Yani said provincial police commander acting Supt Epense Nili and the station commander in Porgera had been informed.
But they had not told him what action police would take.
Attempts to get in touch with police for comments were unsuccessful.
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