A 23-year-old young father is in critical but stable condition after being stabbed by four drunkard men during a violent confrontation at Jamea Village in South Vella on Friday evening.
The incident occurred between 4pm and 5pm when a group of four young men allegedly attacked the victim, left him with serious injuries and unconscious after one of the men stabbed him in the lower back with a kitchen knife.
The suspects later fled the village.
Speaking to Solomon Star in an interview on Sunday, the victim’s uncle, John Nenete, said the group had been drinking homebrew and causing disturbances while walking through Jamea Village, where his nephew was working on a plantation.
“The boys were shouting, swearing and stoning houses in the village,” Mr Nenete said.
“My nephew approached them while carrying his seven-month-old baby and told them they were trespassing and disturbing the village,” he said.
Because of what the young father said, the four youths were unhappy and confronted the victim.
“That was when the boys reacted and tried to attack him,” Mr Nenete said.
It was fortunate the father handed over his baby to a cousin, moments before the confrontation escalated.
“A fight started, and at one point my nephew managed to wrestle one of them to the ground,” he added.
During the struggle, one of the attackers allegedly held out a kitchen knife and stabbed the victim in the lower back.
The four suspects then escaped from the scene.
The victim’s family immediately transported him by a 15-horsepower boat from Lajaka Village to Supato Village, where he was taken to the local clinic.
Due to the severity of his injuries, the nurse on duty referred him to Gizo Hospital for urgent treatment.
The family then boarded a 60-horsepower boat from Supato Village.
En route, at Sumbolai Point, the Gizo Police fast craft Striker intercepted the boat and assisted in transporting the victim to Gizo Hospital, where he arrived at around 9pm.
The suspects were later arrested and transported by Gizo Police officers on Saturday afternoon. They are now in police custody.
According to staff at the Gizo Hospital X-ray unit, the stab wound was deep and damaged a membrane that holds internal organs.
Hospital X-ray technician Denty Levo said the knife penetrated through the body cavity and narrowly missed the lung.
“At the moment, he is connected to machines to drain fluids and blood,” Mr Levo said.
“Luckily, the young man is strong and managed to survive,” he added.
Police confirmed that the four suspects, including one married man, are from Supato Village in Ward.
They reportedly recently moved to Dupe, a new settlement near Jamea Village.
The newly established settlement was later found abandoned, with only two pigs remaining. The animals were subsequently taken by the victim’s family to Jamea Village.
All four suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to appear in court.
Police records indicate that Vella Island has seen an increase in violent crimes in recent years, including murder and stabbing incidents.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
