POLICE AFTER SUSPECT

Man takes to hiding in East Malaita, RSIPF officers deployed

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU & JENNIFER KUSAPA

Police now have a suspect into the April-13 White Angel killing.

However, the suspect is on the run, reportedly in the rurals of Kwaio region, Malaita province.

According to police, the suspect had been one of the persons taken in and interviewed on the day of the killing of the Chinese business woman, April 13.

He was later released, the same day.

He however became a suspect the next day when police tried to contact him for further statements only to find that he was missing.

Police say they have received information that the suspect had escaped to his home village in Kwaio.

Speaking to the paper yesterday, Malaita PPC Stanley Riolo said they know the suspect’s identity and have deployed officers to bring him in.

He adds that he has received reports that the suspect is evading his officers.

“We have deployed officers to the suspect’s village, Namolalae village, in East Malaita on Sunday to try and track him down

“My officers were deployed to the area following several reports that the suspect is around.

“As my officer approached Namolalae Village the suspect escaped somewhere.

“This should be a wake-up call for community leaders, not only in East and West Kwaio, but throughout Malaita. If any law and order problem pops up, community leaders should be the ones to take the lead and involve police to sort out issues.”

Police meanwhile are appealing to the suspect to surrender himself. They are also calling on communities in East and West Malaita to assist them in capturing the suspect.

In a police statement yesterday, Assistant Commissioner Crime and Intel Patricia Leta says, “Anyone with information can call Auki Police Station on phone 40132 or National Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) on phone 21192 or Police Communication Centre on 23666.

“I would like to assure the Chinese community and the public that we are working very hard to apprehend the suspect to face his fair trial. It is not an easy task but police are working tirelessly behind the scene for possible arrest to be done.”

On April 13, somewhere police have put between 8am and 9am, a Chinese business woman was killed while she was opening up shop.

Police have described the killing as brutal, revealing that the body had several stab wounds, one with a broken kitchen knife blade embedded in the wound at the back.

The incident occurred at the White Angel building, situated at one of the Pt Cruz’s busiest parts.

The incident has raised much condemnation across country; government, Honiara city council, country’s business chamber (SICCI) and public at large have denounced the killing as barbaric and unwelcomed.

The Chinese embassy over the weekend issued a statement condemning the killing, describing it as “cold-blooded and brutal”. The embassy has also pinned the Royal Solomon Islands police force to its promise of catching the “culprits”.

On Monday this week, the Chinese – Solomon Islands Friendship organisation demanded police hasten its investigation and any arrest to be made soon.

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