THE Solomon Islands Chinese Association has condemned in the strongest terms the brutal killing which resulted in the deaths of an Asian couple over the weekend.

The association in a statement said they are shocked and traumatised by the senseless and barbaric killing of a Chinese couple.

“The Solomon Islands Chinese Association, its members and like so many peace loving Solomon Islanders, are shocked and traumatised by the senseless and barbaric killing of a Chinese couple over the Easter Weekend. We condemn this double murder in the strongest terms.

“We urge the public, including the Chinese community, who might have any information that will assist the police in their investigations, to contact Police directly,” the association said.

It said it is confident that police will pull all its available resources together, to solve this horrific crime and bring all those responsible to face the full force of the law.

“In the meantime, the Chinese Association is indeed very grateful to the RSIPF in their investigations so far, as well as the many condolence messages to the family, words of support and solidarity from individual members, business houses, including the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and many ordinary Solomon Islanders from all walks of life,” it says.

The Chinese couple were discovered lying on a pool of blood with knife wounds on Monday morning in their LGZ shop near Town Ground.

The killing of the couple, who are identified as Jim and Joyce Kwan, is believed to have occurred at around Saturday night.

Police are currently chasing for leads into the deaths, and have appealed to any person with information, no matter how small, to report to the police.

The bodies of the deceased persons are currently kept at the RAMSI morgue at GBR in Henderson for post mortem.

This is due to the dilapidated state of the central hospital’s morgue.

President of Solomon Islands Chinese Association, Matthew Quan is currently out in the country, and couldn’t confirm the position of the association in relation to where the deceased bodies will be buried.

However, initial reports obtained by the paper had it that the association is trying to seek permission on behalf of the family to cremate the two bodies in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The two deceased persons have left behind them a son and a daughter who are said to be attending living abroad, and are expected to be in the country for final decision as to where the bodies will be laid to rest or cremated.