POLICE CHIEF EXPRESS CONCERN ON ALCOHOL ABUSE

 

Mount Hagen police on parade.

DRUNK YOUTH KNIFED TO DEATH

Picture Provincial Police Commander for Western Highlands, Chief Inspector Jacob Kamiak.

ALCOHOL-RELATED violence is becoming common in Western Highlands Province’s capital, Mount Hagen city, says the local police chief.

And victims are mounting as youths continue to engage in cheap alcohol and homebrew activities, Western Highlands Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector Jacob Kamiak, said yesterday.

His remarks follow after a young man, aged 20, from Limbiyale village in the Imbonggu district of Southern Highlands Province, was chopped on his neck in an alcohol-related act, last Friday.

The deceased Alphonse Mata, was intoxicated when he illegally entered a premises, at the YMCA compound in Mt Hagen, around 2:30am and was allegedly killed by the owner of the house with a knife.

According to police reports, the owner saw the youth entering his premises so he took out a sharp bush knife and allegedly chopped the trespasser on his neck.

The alleged attacker left the deceased lying in a pool of blood and fled with his family.

It was believed that some neighbors heard the commotion and came to find out and saw the youth lying on the ground so they took the body to the Mt Hagen hospital.

The matter was then reported to the police, and the Criminal and Investigation Division (CID) members went to the scene. The matter is under investigation by the homicide officers.

PPC Kamiak

PPC Kamiak has called on the suspect to come forward and surrender himself to make it easier for them (police) to get his side of the story rather going into hiding.

He said it is very challenging for his policemen to maintain fairness when trying to respond to such incidents instigated by intoxicated people.

“Homebrew consumption is increasing in every communities within the city especially settlements and this has got to stop because it is triggering a lot of problems and social issues,” said Mr Kamiak.

He said the police have tried their best to stop the sale of homebrew but those involved in making it are not complying with the rules and laws as they are using it as their means of income and are secretly doing these illegal activities.

Mr Kamiak said that the alcohol industry has to rigorously monitor and impose tougher penalties on those that break the rules.

He further extended his call to the Liquor Licensing Board in the province to identify and close illegal liquor operators and those without a valid license to shut down their operation if they breach the act to keep the city safe and trouble-free.

with RITA PEKI of Post-Courier in Hagen