Truck Crew shot by criminals in holdup

The crew of a Public Motor Vehicle-Isuzu Dyna was shot on his left chest by criminals, following an armed holdup in Okapa District of Eastern Highlands Province on Sunday 1st June.

Fredrick Erisa, who is the owner as well as the driver of the truck told NBC News that about five armed men with a M16 rifle and bush knives held his truck along the Okapa Kainantu Road at around 9 o'clock in the morning.

"The five men came out of the bush with a M16 rifle and others with bush knives and stopped our truck, removed all the passengers and my crew and tried to escape with the 16 bags of coffee I was transporting.

"The gang members dragged me out of the truck and wanted to start the vehicle and escape with the 16 bags of coffee on the truck but they couldn't.

"I locked the steering wheel of my truck with a screw driver, which made it difficult for the gang's driver to start the truck," Erisa said.

Erisa added that they were mad and continued dragging him into the bush, when his crew and the passengers threw stones at them and that's when they shot his crew on his chest at a close range.

"With the help of the few passengers on board the truck, I transported my crew to the Onamuga Health Centre and later they rushed him to the Goroka Base Hospital", he said.

He said his crew is recovering at the Goroka Base Hospital.

Mr. Erisa highlighted that they had enough pains along the Okapa Kainantu Road.

"So many holdups, road blocks and they were always robbed from their hard-earned money and valuables. There is no law and order in Okapa. We want our MP and his DDA to immediately do something to minimize the ongoing holdups there," Erisa said.

Meanwhile, police investigation is underway into the matter.