THE lifeless body of a young lad discovered beneath the Fiu Bridge near Auki in Malaita Province on Tuesday morning this week was the result of an act of murder.
The key suspect in the murder is a male juvenile who has just completed his Form Three education this year.
Information reaching this paper stated that the juvenile was caught red-handed by a woman who went to the river side early in the morning to collect leaves to wrap her market produces when the key suspect tried to pull the lifeless body from the bushes into the river.
Information obtained claimed the victim was killed last weekend during a heated argument over money, cellphone and the FIFA World Cup results.
It was further revealed that the victim and the key suspect with others were under the influence of liquor at the time of the killing.
An argument broke out amongst the group when the key suspect alleged the victim had stolen a sum of $30.00 and a cellphone from the group.
The argument then extended to the World Cup results, resulting in the key suspect and another suspect to attack the victim, causing him to fall.
It was revealed that the victim got up after the first attack and reminded his attackers that those who played in the FIFA World Cup would not give them any money.
That was when the key suspect picked up a stone and threw it at the victim. The stone landed on the victim’s head, leading to his death.
The key suspect with the help of others concealed the dead body with grass and left it beside the river bank and fled.
The killing was believed to have taken place last Sunday night.
It was alleged on Tuesday morning, the key suspect went and looked for the dead body at the river bank and dragged it into the river to make it look as if the victim died from drowning.
The key suspect did not know that he was being watched by a woman from his own village. His plan to float the dead body further to the sea was unsuccessful as the body got stuck in debris beneath the Fiu Bridge.
That is when the key suspect called his relatives and told them about sighting a dead body beneath the bridge.
Auki police this week arrested 11 suspects relating to the murder.
Since then, police have released nine of the 11 suspects, detaining only two for further questioning.
The victim was a Second Year Carpentry student at the APSD Rural Training Centre at Gwaigeo.
By WILSON SAENI
Solomon Star, Auki
