ARMED GANG TERRORIZES PNG HIGHLANDS TOWN
Robbers keep police at bay

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, April 7, 2008) - Kainantu, the gateway into the Highlands, was virtually held up by a well-armed gang last Friday.

And a man was hospitalized, hundreds either fled or flattened themselves on the ground in fear of their lives and vendors at the town market were robbed in the drama that unfolded in the middle of the town, involving a gang said to be led by a notorious and most wanted criminal.

The criminal and two other young men armed with SLR rifles, kept the police at bay, threatening to "blow their heads off" and started a brawl that led to the wounding of a young man and later the robbing of the vendors.

Kainantu police yesterday confirmed the shocking reports received from the town.

"It happened between 12 and 1 p.m. No one moved, everyone was flat on the ground," police said.

Kainantu police arrived but were kept at a distance. They were poorly armed and feared for their lives. "They can’t do much, they are only human," John Paima, an eyewitness said.

Eyewitnesses said the leader was an Eastern Highlands criminal wanted by police, and featured on the police crime watch program on EMTV. According to the reports, the gang went into the market, picked a fight with another group of young men who were playing dart.

During the fight, the wanted man grabbed a knife and cut a young man in several places on his body. The injured youth was rushed to the Kainantu Hospital. Then while two kept watch, one of them went around the market and relieved the day’s takings from all the vendors, mostly mothers from outlying villages.

"The police arrived but they were kept at bay. All vehicles that came into town from Aiyura, Ukurampa and Bundaira, turned back at the bridge while other vehicles that came down from the town were held up," Mr. Paima said. "The cars lined up all the way to the highway. It was a frightening experience for all of us," he said.

At the time the gang was terrorizing the people, the residents in town were in a "haus krai."

The district administrator Ben Bayao passed away recently and the town was making preparations for his body to be taken to his home today.

Post-Courier called the police in Kainantu last night and they confirmed the incident. "We can confirm the incident but can’t give any details. You have to get that from our PPC or station commander, who is in Goroka now," a spokesman said. The reports say about an hour later, the police from Aiyura arrived at the scene and the leader of the gang threatened to shoot them.

The eye witnesses said the police were turned back but another police team went in and picked up the gang. "They took the gang and went towards Aiyura. I don’t know whether they are at the cell there or were brought to Kainantu," another eyewitness, John Baru, said.

Attempts to contact Aiyura police last night were unsuccessful.

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