THE acting Police Commander for North Fly Command in the Western Province, Inspector Anjap Minata says a suspect is in Police custody and formal charges will be laid against him for murdering his wife, a mother of two kids.
PPC Minata said the suspect Nafi Yagea, aged 32 would be formally arrested and charged for willful murder under Section 299 (a) of the Criminal Code Act when police established all necessary information.
Mr Minata said the suspect aged 32, from Iginamabi village in Nomad Local Level Government (LLG) in Middle Fly District in the Western province is believed to be the husband of the deceased. He said the deceased, Ms Masabi Soka, aged 22, is from Igimi village and from the same LLG.
He said the incident took place on Tuesday October 08th, 2024 between 7pm-9pm at Gretutu corner at Kiunga Urban Local Level Government (LLG) in the North Fly District, Western Province.
“Police alleged that the suspects Mr Nafi Yagea slashed the decease twice on her head and chopped her legs with bush knives.
“The deceased was rushed to the Kiunga District Hospital but later died due to lose of blood from the wounds sustained,” Mr Minata said, adding that he said the suspect husband allegedly had negative thoughts against her of having extra marital affairs and started slashing her which resulted in her deaths.
Mr Minata said the body of the deceased is now at the Kiunga Morgue for post-mortem to be conducted to establish facts to the cause of the deaths as required by the Law. He said it was also part of the police investigation.
PPC said the suspect escaped police arrest after the incident and crossed over to the Fly River and further walked up to the lowara road towards his village. He said his plan to evading police arrest was a nightmare when a lone Axillary officer acted on a tip off and apprehended and locked him at the Kiunga police station.
Mr Minata said the suspect will be arrested and charged when police establish all the necessary information.
“I appeal to all the surrounding communities to respect the rule of law and live accordingly. There is no Law that allows the husband to remove the life of his innocent wife given any situation at all.
“This act is uncalled for in our community. The husband must protect his wife because she is part you when you married her,” Mr Minata said, adding that he said that was not the case in this scenario.
PPC Minata said they have family systems in place to sort out issues within the marriage and other avenues rather than taking the law into his own hands.
Mr Minata thanked the local leaders for working together with the police in providing information which made the work of police easier where the murderer was apprehended and lock up in the police cell.
