Police in Solomon Islands have detained a suspect in relation to last week's death of a Novice in Western Guadalcanal province.
Novice Jackson Lodo and another novice were walking to Tabalia from the capital Honiara when they became victims of an unprovoked attacked on the evening of Thursday 30 October.
The Melanesian Brothers' or, Tasiu, as they are known locally, are recognised peace-makers and local media had reported outrage in the community over the suspicious death of the priest.
Police are urging members of the public and relatives of the deceased to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and to allow police to complete their investigations.
Jackson was killed and his companion, a third year novice, was violently assaulted but managed to escape and is currently in hospital.
The police have mounted a full investigation into the attack which is said to have left the Melanesian Brotherhood in shock but eager that the attack not to lead to further violence.
The funeral for Jackson was held on November 1 and both the Head Brother Matthias Tovotasi, and primate of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia Archbishop Philip Richardson have asked people to pray for the victims, the religious community and the victims' families.
The Melanesian Brotherhood are an Anglican religious community based primarily on the Solomon Islands, but which is expanding into other parts of the world. It was founded in in 1900 by a Ini Kopuria, a Solomon Islander on the Island of Guadalcanal.
Source: http://www.anglicannews.org/ and http://www.radionz.co.nz/