Rapists nabbed at the scene

NINE men are in police custody facing charges for the rape of a young woman soon after the Lae protests ended on Monday, according to police.

Morobe's Provincial Police Commander chief superintendent Giosi Labi yesterday released the details of the rape, warning that police would take on their responsibilities without fear or favour.
"We will clamp down hard on any perpetrators - whether you are from Morobe or the Highlands," Mr Labi declared.

The men are all from Morobe and the young victim is from a Highlands background.

Mr Labi said following the protest and while he was on his way back to his office, he was alerted to investigate an incident at St Paul's Primary School along Markham Road where an angry mob, when retreating from the town area, were engaged in the bashing of a couple believed to be from the Highlands.

The PPC and several of his men rushed to the scene of the incident only to find a young woman coming out of the shrubs at a nearby pond, a popular site used by city residents for picnic and relaxation.
"I was shocked to see this young woman fully naked running to hide from us. She was completely stripped," Mr Labi recounted.

According to the provincial police commander, the woman later came up to him and reported that she had been raped by youths.

"She actually started pointing and identifying the boys and we ended up with nine youths all from Morobe," said Mr Labi.

He said the youths were then handed to Lae police for formal charges to be laid.

The Morobe PPC was furious at the front page report in yesterday's National which alleged that he had witnessed youths going on rampage and bashing up three women bettelnut sellers from the Highlands during the course of Monday's highly-charged protest.
Mr Labi said he had personally stepped in to prevent what could have flared up into a serious incident, resulting in mayhem.

The alleged incident took place during the staging of the protest at the provincial government headquarters and is understood to have been witnessed by other senior police officers.