Villagers pack-rape school girl

THIRTY-two houses were razed and a primary schoolgirl was pack-raped last week as a result of two feuding villages on the west coast of Wewak.

Wewak police station commander, Chief Insp Sakawar Kasieng said Magopin villagers ransacked Smain village and burnt down their houses as a result of an ongoing feud.

Police alleged that five men from Smain retaliated and pack-raped a schoolgirl from Magopin last week and tension between the two villages escalated.

“Unconfirmed reports reaching my office say that a man from Smain village was shot at the weekend but I am not sure if he is alive,” Kasieng said .

“Roadblocks have been mounted by both villages but innocent people travelling on the west coast towards Aitape are not being harassed.”

The matter was reported to police during the weekend but due to logistics and manpower problems, they did not attend. They are expected to travel to the area today.

Kasieng said police would carry out a thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice.

Meanwhile, police reported another pack-rape at Wirui, in Wewak, during the weekend. 

They said four men armed with weapons chased away a man and attacked his wife as the pair was collecting firewood.

The incident sparked a near confrontation between two settlements but community leaders and police were quick to intervene and negotiated peace and the surrender of the suspects to police.

ONE PNG / THE NATIONAL