Editorial
MANY adults carry a knife on a daily basis. For some, it’s tradition, for others it’s to make their job easier, and some may want to be prepared in case they need to defend themselves. But how many of them are breaking the law?
Is there any legislation in Papua New Guinea that prohibits the carrying of knives in public places whether it is pocket knife, machete (bush knives), axes, dirks or daggers and the likes?
It is apparently becoming a norm that every patient that is brought to a nearby clinic or even the Port Moresby General Hospital in NCD is inflicted by knife wounds.
The video (CCTV camera footage) that is currently going viral with the brutal and savage murder that occurred at Koki in the nation’s capital using machete, early this morning should be condemned in a strongest possible manner.
There has been an increase in deaths in the city in recent past caused by merciless stabbing, all caused by this single weapon and commonly used ‘pocket knife’.
We often hear of people charged with wounding, assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and murder using pocket knives. Pocket knives are used more now as murder weapons.
The government should now look at legislating laws on the use of knives in public places. Knives of any description must be prohibited at schools, public buildings or courthouses, and at public events.
Police should arrest people carrying bush knives in public places and lock them behind bars.
Former Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia in the past echoed similar concerns on the use of knives in public places.
“I don’t like people with bush knives in public places. Arrest and lock them up,” Sir Salamo said in response to a mayhem in Wabag town in 2010.
He said cases of deaths involving the unlawful use of small knives, bush knives and axes were alarming in the country, and the police had a mammoth job to do in bringing the culprits to the process of justice.
We equally agree with former Chief Justice and we call on the government to quickly legislate laws surrounding the use of knives in public places before many innocent lives are lost.
We also call for a total ban for carrying knives in public places in the country.