“Police officers and the officers of the Foreign affairs office corroborated and framed me.”
This was the response on Friday in the National Court from the man who is accused to have murdered former diplomat, the late Dennis Taylor Bebego, on July 5, 2014.
Evidence in the trial against Billy Sapsi Pokea of Suma village, Mendi, Southern Highlands Province closed on Friday at 3:40pm after he gave evidence in the witness box.
He denied leaving the office that day to buy a bush knife to murder the late Bebego.
He was questioned by the state on the record of interview which he was said to have signed on 10 July 2014 at the Boroko Police station after his apprehension at the Port Moresby General hospital.
He said he was under intense duress by police officers after he was beaten, stripped and was forced to admit and sign the document without knowledge of its content.
Pokea told the trial judge and the court that police officers and those from the office of Foreign Affairs corroborated and framed the record of interview, just because one of the witnesses gave his story earlier to police on the day of the incident.
Earlier on Friday the state’s two key witnesses gave their story from the witness box. Both had travelled into the country for the trial and were amongst those who discovered the body of the late Bebego in the office on July 5,2014
One of the witnesses gave precise timing of the events that occurred that morning.
The state’s first witness said he saw a tussle take place between two men in Bebego’s office through the glass which was not clear. He also said he saw the accused, Pokea walk out of the office with blood stained shirt.
What actually took place in that office remains an issue the court will determine from this trial.
The matter will return to court on Monday where the state and Pokea’s lawyers will make submissions on verdict based on evidence presented before the court on Friday.
It is alleged that the accused killed Bebego in his office using a bush knife after he was caught watching pornography at his work station.
He fled the office soon after and Bebego’s body was found lying in a pool of blood by colleagues.