Inquest: Scientists perished in foul play
After three months of interviewing 54 witnesses the inquest has concluded from the evidence before it that all the male officers are believed to be dead except one while the two female officers’ fate is still uncertain.
The coronial inquest found that the eighth person, Jerry Wani may be still alive and is hiding in West New Britain.
Coroner Lawrence Kangwia said the inquest had identified the body of the boat operator Peter Divu Koikoi, which had been in the waters of Manus and buried there while the rest are still unaccounted for.
Mr Kangwia said in the findings for all the male IMR scientists that from the evidence available and on the back of various conclusions reached they are not alive.
As to the circumstances surrounding their deaths, they did not arrive at their deaths due to tragedy encountered in prevailing bad weather conditions at sea.
He said for the two female scientists there are possibilities that they could have been kidnapped and held captive and whether they are still alive or dead is uncertain.
If they are dead then they did not arrive at their death due to tragedy encountered in prevailing bad weather conditions at sea, he said.
The inquest findings goes on to say that from the information made available, two circumstances stand out as to what happened to the eight persons.
First is that all of them were killed by criminals or pirates? Second is that all the males were killed and the females taken captive.
These circumstances emerged not out of facts or supported by any tangible evidence, Mr Kangwia said.
They surfaced because of what people heard from other sources and conclusions drawn from experience. A lot is hearsay and intuition.
The findings say that not one witness who appeared at the inquest produced direct evidence of any killing, kidnapping or holding persons in captivity.
They seemed to report what they heard from others. Most were unconfirmed rumours only, he said.
The missing officers are Gibson Gideon, scientific officer and Team Leader of Mix Eastern Highlands and Enga Provinces, Tania Oakiva scientific officer from Gulf, Lydia Petrus, Nursing officer from Southern Highlands, Leonard Vavana, Nursing Officer from East New Britain and George Dogoya, Research Assistant from Eastern Highlands.
Among the scientists were three other persons, Peter Divu Koikoi, boat operator from Bali Island, Richard Bambon Pakela, boat crew from Bali Island, West New Britain and Jerry Wani, relative of the team leader from Eastern Highlands.
The team left Milimata in Kaliai-Kove for Bali Island on the morning of Monday August 1, 2011, and that was the last time they were seen by anyone.
The team was on a field trip to conduct malaria household survey under the Global Fund Malaria Control Program 2010-2014.
Mr Kangwia with his team presented the findings of the coronial inquest to the national Government last week.
PNG Today / Post Courier
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