Body recovered at sea
TENSIONS are high in northeast Malaita after the body of a high school student, believed to have been killed and dumped at sea, has been recovered.
Fishermen recovered the body of the boy, believed to be in his 20s, on Wednesday morning near Mangonia, a reef between Ato and Ata’a in the Baegu/Asifola constituency.
“The boy was killed near Ato village before his body was dumped at sea,” villagers from the area told Solomon Star Auki.
“His body was then taken to Ata’a clinic where relatives quickly identified him as Kenneth Aufiu from Adaliua and Sadiana community in the neighboring Fataleka constituency,” they added.
Villagers say the boy was on his way to a local recording studio near Ato when he met his fate.
The motive of the killing is unclear.
Inspector Charles Edward Koto, Operations Manager at Auki Police Station, confirmed the incident in an interview with the Solomon Star yesterday.
“We receive reports from Baegu/Asifola on Wednesday morning about the incident,” Koto said.
“Two of our officers were sent to the area and are currently on the ground investigating,” he added.
“Police have responded and arrested three suspects from Ato village; they are now in Auki Police custody to be questioned.”
Koto said the situation was tense in the area and is calling on relatives of the deceased not to take the law into their own hands because police are now attending to the case.
He said it’s highly like the boy was murdered because of the knife wounds found on both hands and on his back.
of the deceased.
In the meantime, Inspector Koto is calling on relatives of the deceased not to take laws into their own hands because the police is now attending to the case.
He also appealed to villagers in the area to provide police any information they may have about the incident.
Relatives of the deceased the Solomon Star spoke to want justice for the senseless killing of their son.
By WILSON SAENI
in Auki
