Branch Heads and Directors within the Papua New Guinea Defence Force have been called before the General Board of Inquiry (GBOI) into the shooting death of two soldiers, the wounding of another soldier and a civilian.

Acting PNGDF Commander, Commodore Philp Polewara said Commanding Officers are to assist the Inquiry when their members who participated in the final Corporal Qualifying Course are called before the GBOI.

The inquiry intends to identify issues and gaps in the system and make appropriate recommendations for the improvements in PNGDF to ensure that such tragedies do not occur again,” said acting Commodore Polewara.

When the inquiry was launched on 18th August 2023, Prime Minister James Marape announced the sidelining of then PNGDF Commander, Major General, Mark Goina.

Marape had said Goina’s suspension does not imply any wrong doing on his part and the decision to have Goina suspended was to protect the independence and integrity of the GBOI.

“To affirm the integrity of PNGDF and also the integrity of the Commander (Goina)NEC took a decision to suspend Commander (Goina) under Section 6 (3) B of the Defence Act 1974 for three months, or until such a time when the General Board of Inquiry delivers its findings.

But internal PNGDF investigations revealed that Leading Seaman, Eric Gwale and Corporal Watata Kutegen were killed by high velocity ammunitions fired from within 40 meters.

Three soldiers were identified, and one has confused to firing the live ammunitions because he had it in his possession.

While the inquiry continues, the family of late Eric Gwale have laid him to rest in his home province in New Ireland. Gwale is survived by his wife and three sons.