Three arrested over murder of Catholic Priest in Plateau

The Police in Plateau said they have arrested three persons in connection with the alleged murder of a Catholic Priest, Raphael Pankyes.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Plateau, Mr. Tyopev Terna, made this disclosure on Thursday in Pankshin.

Terna said the police arrested the three suspects in the course of their investigation.
“We are on the trail of more suspects in connection with the incident,’’ he said.
He gave the names of the suspects as Alex Bala, David Bala and Dasen Bala, all of whom, he said, were not related in spite of their surnames.
“On July 20, 2017 we received a report at our Pankshin Division from the family members of the deceased, who said that they had not seen him since July 14.

“They claimed they had neither seen nor heard from him since that day, which necessitated a thorough search for him in all possible places,” the PPRO said.
According to him, the family members first went to Yiti Primary School, Fier, where the deceased also served as a classroom teacher, but saw no trace of him there.
“But when they visited his small house built on his farm, they found his lifeless body already badly decomposed, which prompted them to report the matter to us (Police).
“We are not leaving any stone unturned until all those who have a hand in the killing of the clergy are found and punished in accordance with the law of the land.

“We are happy that these three suspects that we already have are giving us useful statements and with time we shall get to the root of the matter,” Terna said.