DALCY LULUA
THE Governor for Central Province Honourable Rufina Peter on behalf of the Central Provincial Government sends their deepest condolences to the immediate families and extended families of late Margaret Gamaru Michael.
“The Central Provincial Government strongly condemns the brutal and inhumane rape and murder of the late Ms. Margaret Gamaru Gabriel. Those who are responsible must face the full brunt of the law, ” she said.
Last week Saturday, late Margaret Gamaru Gabriel was dragged out from her home at the Watermark Estate near Baruni by armed men and was beaten up and raped and her mutilated body was later found and retrieved.
Governor Rufina said she took awhile to make a statement about the incident because she needed to get her facts right surrounding the case.
“On Tuesday, the member for Goilala and I after the PEC meeting, met with the leaders of the Goilala Community at Baruni to hear the facts surrounding this case.”
“They are disappointed that the members they have mandated to represent them in parliament have not come to their aid to understand and hear their stories, specifically the member for Northwest Honorable Lohia Boi Samuel and the NCD Governor Honorable Powes Parkop.”
“While they are people from Central Province their jurisdiction or their existence in Port Moresby is under the leaders that they have mandated through the election process, and these two leaders are the members for North West and the NCD governor”, she said.
“As responsible leaders from their place of origin, ethnicity, the member for Goilala and the Governor of Central Province had to step in to hear their side of the story, especially when the eviction is happening, the destruction of all of their properties, their dwelling places, everything and so they, as much as anyone else, and especially the families of the deceased, want to see justice, and justice for all who are responsible for that crime,” stressed the Governor.
Governor Rufina further said that according to the reports seen in the media, there are about 21 to 25 people involved and does not mean that it is only people of Goilala ethnicity, it is people of Papua New Guinea, from other ethnicities that are involved as well.
“This is where I continue to stress the importance of police performing their duties within law and accurately releasing statements about incidents, whether it’s this or any other incidents that happen in Port Moresby and throughout the country.
“The police in undertaking their normal duties, must abide by the laws that govern their line of duties, it means that they must get all of the facts surrounding the case before they make statements in the newspaper.
“It is so important that police, in undertaking their duties, make reports based on evidence and facts. The leaders that we met from the Goilala Community of Baruni are equally wanting justice to be served for the perpetrators of that crime,” she said.
The Governor strongly condemns the eviction, “I strongly condemn the eviction that’s taking place. I don’t know where the instructions came from. I have yet to establish where the instruction came from for the destruction of properties of people who are not responsible.”
“If the youth do something, it’s not the parents and the rest of the community, find the perpetrators and deal with them. There is law to deal with it.”
