POLICE in Simbu have arrested seven suspects and are in police custody in relation to the wilful murder of a Medical Doctor, Dr. Robert Waiye between Tuesday 15th from 10am-11pm to Wednesday 16th September 2026 at 8.30am at Gateway Fueler Premises, Prenorika/DPI in Kundiawa, Simbu Province.
Simbu Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Detective Superintendent, Mazuc Rubiang confirmed that the police investigation into the attempted murder remains active to track down and apprehend the remaining suspects, who are currently at large. He said formal charges would be laid against all the suspects including the security guard as well.
PPC Rubiang the security guard who was at the Gateway Fuel station also sustained injuries during the assault of Dr. Robert Waiye and he is still recovering at the Kundiawa General Hospital.
Police alleged that on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, Dr. Robert Waiye (deceased), and Dr. Ronald Conn, both medical doctors employed at Kundiawa General Hospital, were present at Gateway Fuelers (Pokies place), Kundiawa, Simbu Province. At approximately 5pm, Dr. Ronald Conn finished work at Kundiawa General Hospital and proceeded to the Gateway Fuelers/ pokies house, where he played pokies.
Police also alleged that between 10:00pm and 11:00pm, Dr. Conn was preparing to leave the area when he met late Dr. Robert Waiye. Dr. Conn informed late Dr. Waiye that he intended to return to the doctors’ on-call house at Kundiawa General Hospital and late Dr. Waiye joined his colleague. They both remained at the Gateway Fuel Station while waiting for a vehicle to assist them with transportation to the hospital.
It was also alleged that after waiting for some time without transport, the two doctors decided to seek assistance from the owners of the Gateway Fuelers, named couple, whom they knew. Dr. Conn had previously treated the wife of the Gateway fuel station owner when she was a patient at the Kundiawa General Hospital, where both couple is familiar with the Doctor.
The two doctors approached a security guard at the fuel station and asked whether the couple were at their residence. The security guard informed them that they were at home, so the two doctors proceeded on foot towards the residential premises to seek assistance with the transportation. Upon reaching the first gate leading to a new building complex which was under construction, the doctors then called out for assistance.
There was considerable noise coming from a group of people who were drinking in the area. The doctors therefore proceeded further towards the residential premises and upon reaching the gate to the residential area, the doctors called for the security guard (name withheld) of Dom Grass Security Service.
The doctors introduced themselves to the security guard as medical doctors from Kundiawa General Hospital and informed him that they wished to speak with the couple (owner of Gateway Fuel Station). The guard refused to allow the doctors to enter the premises but after the doctors explained that they needed to speak with owner of Gateway Fuel station (couple), he opened the gate and allowed them to enter the premises.
As the two doctors entered the premises, the wife of Gateway Fuel Station owner saw them and instructed them to return to the fuel station area. She informed them that she would come down and speak with them. She then confronted the security guard and questioned him about why he had allowed the two doctors to enter the premises.
The security guard explained that the two men had identified themselves as doctors from Kundiawa General Hospital and had requested to speak with the couple (Gateway Fuel Station owner). He stated that this was the reason he had allowed them through the gate. He further explained that he had subsequently allowed the doctors to leave the premises after she (wife of the Gateway Fuel Station owner) instructed that they should not be allowed to remain inside.
While she was speaking with the security guard, a group of people who had been drinking at the new building complex approached him (security guard). The group questioned the security guard about why he had allowed the two doctors to enter the premises. The group then assaulted the security guard by punching and kicking him. The security guard fell to the ground, and the group continued to assault him.
The group subsequently began searching for the two doctors. They moved towards the main gate and went outside the premises in search of them. Dr. Ronald Conn managed to escape from the group however, Dr. Robert Waiye (deceased) was apprehended by the group and dragged back into the premises, where he was severely assaulted.
PPC Rubiang confirmed that following the assault, Dr. Waiye (deceased) and the security guard were stripped of their clothing and left lying on the ground inside the premises. He said subsequently, the owner of Gateway Fuel Station and the members of the group placed the severely injured Dr. Waiye and the security guard onto a dump truck.
PPC said the owner of the Gateway Fuel station, (name withheld) instructed a man in the group identified (name withheld) to transport the two injured men to the Kundiawa Police Station with his four accomplices. He said upon arrival at the police station, they approached the duty policeman and requested that the two injured men be locked inside the police cell.
“The duty policeman asked what the two men had done and they repeatedly responded, “OBT”, meaning “Operation Brukim Tulait”. The term is commonly used to describe persons suspected of engaging in night-time stealing or other criminal activity.
“The duty policeman observed that both men had sustained serious injuries and appeared to require urgent medical attention, he refused to place them in the police cell and instructed the group to take the injured men to the Kundiawa General Hospital for medical treatment.
“The two injured men were subsequently transported to the Kundiawa General Hospital, where they were admitted for treatment. Both men had sustained serious injuries, particularly to their heads and faces,” PPC said.
PPC Rubiang said Dr. Robert Waiye died at the Kundiawa General Hospital at approximately 8:30am on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 due to injuries he sustained on his head during the assault.
PPC said the security guard was admitted to the Surgical Ward at Kundiawa General Hospital for treatment. He still remained under medical care and is recovering from his injuries he sustained from his head and face.