Body found in Acting PM's Residence

AAP

PAPUA New Guinea's acting Prime Minister Sam Abal said his family were "immediate suspects" in a murder case today after the corpse of a woman was found inside his Port Moresby compound.

Heading the Pacific nation while veteran leader Michael Somare recovers from heart surgery in Singapore, Abal said an "unfortunate and regrettable incident" had taken place at the family home at the weekend.

"The alleged murder took place within the perimeters of my private home," Abal said in a statement published by the Post Courier newspaper today.

"All family members living with me are immediate suspects and are subject to investigation and questioning by police," he added.

Abal had recently moved to a hotel and was not living at the Konedobu address, the newspaper said.

The prime minister said he had personally called PNG's police commissioner about the matter and promised to "fully co-operate" with the investigation.

"We will not interfere in this case. If any of my family members are involved, they will face the full brunt of the law and will not be treated differently as anyone else in similar situations," Abal said.

"Anyone found to be involved will face the full consequences of the law. They will be charged with murder in the same way as any other person in society that has no regard for value of human life and dignity of a person," he added.

Somare, who turned 75 in April and has led his nation for almost half of its 36 years of independence, has suffered complications from a heart valve operation, fuelling speculation that he may not return to power.

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