Madang horror! Two dead after being slashed by criminals

Post Courier

THE beautiful township of Madang is in mourning today following the brutal killing of two men outside a popular Hotel outside of Madang Town.
The two men died later, while others including Madang’s Provincial Administrator Ben Lange are nursing knife wounds after they were attacked by armed criminals outside Madang town.
The two dead are Mr Lange’s younger sibling Richard and his driver.
Madang Provincial Police Commander Superintendent Anthony Wagambie (Jnr) said the incident happened yesterday afternoon at the Malolo Hotel.
Mr Wagambie said Mr Lange and about five others including his driver and brother had gone to Malolo for a picnic.
He said they were down at the waterfront but from where they were they saw a group of men headed towards his car. He said Mr Lange’s brother and driver had gone to investigate ,when they were attacked by the men numbering more than 10 and who were armed with knives and other weapons.
The two were then ordered down to the beach to where Mr Lange and the rest of his companions were. Mr Wagambie said they were ordered by the thugs to lie on the sand before they searched and stripped them of their valuables before slashing all of them all over their body. The criminals then ordered Mr Lange and his group on their feet and marched them back to the Provincial administrators vehicle where they opened the door and ordered them to lie on top of each other before driving off.
He said the person who was driving the vehicle may have been very inexperienced as he had lost control of the vehicle and it overturned. He said all escaped except one suspect from the scene.
The suspect who was caught had been captured by Mr Lange and a member of the group he was with. The injured men were rushed to Modilon but Mr Lange’s brother Richard died soon after arrival while his driver who was in a critical condition died hours later while the suspect is now behind bars at Jomba Police Cells.
A very irate Wagambie condemned the killings stating them to be “Unwarranted and that done by people I would brand as animals”. He said the loss of two lives and in the manner they died was very unnecessary and police will work to ensure that all those involved are brought in.
He said the incident was especially shocking as it had happened in known picnic spot and one which was known to be safe and frequented by many residents and visitors
He has since called on the community along the north coast to assist police by bringing in the suspects