By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific Desk
New Caledonia’s Great Chief William Boarat has been found dead and police have arrested a 24-year-old man as investigations continue.
Great Chief Boarat was found dead in the early hours of yesterday in circumstances described as involuntary homicide.
Public prosecutor Yves Dupas said in a statement that initial findings on the crime scene in the village of Ouaco pointed to an initial assault from a 24-year-old man on a woman he was in a de facto relationship with.
Chief Boarat, 66, who was present at the scene, reportedly tried to stop the man from hitting his partner in their village residence.
The young man, believed to be under the influence of alcohol, is then reported to have grabbed a wooden post and hit the chief on the head.
A medical team later found the old chief unconscious, with severe head wounds.
Attempts to revive him proved unsuccessful.
The suspect has been taken into custody, and investigations are ongoing.
He faces charges of murder and assault against his de facto partner.
Witnesses are also being questioned as part of the inquiry.
A post-mortem has been ordered to further establish the exact cause of death.
The Boarat clan is the main chiefly entity of the Koumac area, which itself belongs to the chiefly area of Hoot ma Waap (one of the eight chiefly areas represented in New Caledonia’s Customary Senate).
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
