Three Papua New Guineans have been killed and another man is recovering in hospital after 16 armed bandits ambushed a vehicle they were travelling in with a priest and others in West Sepik.

Provincial police commander Chief Inspector Moses Ibsagi said two men were shot at point blank range in front of the passengers when they tried to resist the attack on Monday.

Two died on the spot after being shot in the head.

The third man died in hospital later from knife wounds.

“The passengers, including a Catholic priest and three teachers, were on their way from Nuku in West Sepik to Maprik in East Sepik when the 16 men held up the vehicle,” he said.

The incident happened along the Sepik Highway at Wamarau in West Sepik at around 3pm on Monday.

Police are looking for the 16 bandits on the run.

Ibsagi said they were trying to get more information on the attack.

He was told by the Nuku police station commander that the passengers were robbed of all their possessions.

“The passengers were travelling to Maprik for their daily shopping and sale of vanilla,” he said.

“As they came near a village called Wamarau, the 16 men stopped the vehicle and held up the passengers and crew members.

“The thugs were armed with guns and bush knives.

“During a struggle, the two men were shot on the head and died instantly.

“Two passengers received knife wounds.

“One of them succumbed to his wound at the Maprik hospital.

“The other is recovering.”

The National newspaper articles are republished by the Pacific Media Centre with permission.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Madang commander Acting Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang said police were tipped off about the planned hold-up of the bus, and they boarded it beforehand, pretending to be passengers.

Four bodies were taken to the Modilon Hospital while the fifth was buried at the site of the shooting. Other members of the attacking group fled the scene during the shooting on Saturday.

Rubiang said the men were believed to be from Madang town and had been involved in a lot of robberies on the main highway.

He said many passengers and drivers had been victims.

“Police received intelligence of a planned armed holdup of buses travelling from Madang, between Negeri and Naru on the Madang-Lae highway,” he said.

“Acting on that, officers travelled to Double Mountain and waited for the buses.

“At about 12pm, the first bus arrived and all passengers were offloaded onto a police vehicle.

Five disguised policemen
“Five policemen disguised as passengers then got on the bus.

“When nearing the location of the planned holdup, the officers sighted someone coming out of the bush and then going back again.

“About 50m from the location, about three armed gunmen came out and opened fire on the bus.

“About 50m from the location, about three armed gunmen came out and opened fire on the bus.

“Police returned fire and shot the (five) criminals.”

Rubiang said some men fled leaving behind a gun, other weapons and a mobile phone.

“It is believed that some (were wounded) and escaped towards the Naru river,” he said.

“They were pursued. At this moment we are monitoring the area.”

Rubiang said “enough is enough” and warned criminals to stop their attacks.

Gynnie Kero is a reporter for Papua New Guinea’s The National newspaper.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz