15 Feb 2011

PNG police confident suspects involved in policeman's death will be caught

6:26 am on 15 February 2011

The police in Papua New Guinea say they're confident they will catch those responsible for the brutal killing of a young constable last week.

Police say that a probationary officer Issac Mambi was stabbed, beheaded and had his arms cut off by a group of about 50 men on the border of Southern Highlands Province last Wednesday.

The attack occurred after he and two other police officers went to investigate reports alcohol was being smuggled across the border into the province in breach of a liquor ban.

A police spokesperson, Dominic Kakas says police know the village where those who are responsible for the attack come from.

"We are quite confident. Police have actually moved into the village where the suspects are from and we will camp there until the villagers bring the suspects over."

Dominic Kakas says the 25 year-old constable's body was thrown into the Kagul River and they have asked villagers downstream to assist with its retrieval.