5 Jun 2008

Villagers in PNG kill man following death of a teacher

11:05 am on 5 June 2008

Villagers in Papua New Guinea have hanged a man and left his body on display after he allegedly killed a school teacher.

PNG's National newspaper said teacher Peter Itaki, 20, was killed with an axe after he left a shop last Sunday in Enga Province.

Itaki's killer was then attacked by villagers seeking revenge.

Itaki's relatives, village leaders and police have called for calm, urging people not to take the law into their own hands.

Payback attacks are widespread in PNG, but authorities seek to persuade aggrieved parties to settle matters through police and the courts.