Justice George Manuhu

Lawrence Marone, from Nipa Kutubu in Southern Highlands, pleaded guilty to two counts of false pretense before the Waigani National Court presided over by Justice George Manuhu today.

The facts of the first count was that on July 4, 2018, he stole K10,000 from his victim at BSP Harbour City in the Nation’s Capital.

The facts of the second count of false pretense was that he stole K3,000 from the same victim between July 7 and 14 at Rainbow, Gerehu, also in the Nation’s Capital.

This was echoed in the Waigani National Court by a judge who sentenced a woman to 15 years in prison for killing another woman who was also married to her husband.

On June 4^th, 2016, Engan woman Serah James killed one of her husband’s wives at the Erima Wildlife, in Port Moresby.

Prosecution asked for a sentence term of between 25-30 years in jail for the offence, but the court sentenced James to 15 years in jail yesterday, for taking another person’s wife.

Justice George Manuhu said this when sentencing a cop of eight years to 40 years in jail with hard labor today.

Justice George Manuhu said the root cause of undisciplined behaviour in the Police Force should be identified and addressed at the Waigani National Court today.

He said the Police Commissioner and Minister responsible should take all necessary steps to address this, which ultimately develops into unnecessary assaults, destructions and killings.

Until then, there is a worrying trend that the number of policemen in jails is on the rise.

A man who was the commander of a security firm in Port Moresby, who abused that trust, was sentenced to 4 years in jail yesterday for his involvement in a break-and-enter and stealing incident in 2016.

Chris Wasa pleaded guilty on April 26 to his involvement in a break-and-enter incident at the China Harbor Engineering company office at Waigani, on 26 May 2016.

K30,000 cash was taken from the company’s safe after the guards completed their night drop off.

 Stanley Poga was sentenced today after he was found guilty.

Poga from Mikin village in Chimbu’s Chuave district, was convicted by the Waigani National Court, for what he did to Chief Supt Mathew Damaru on the morning of April 30, 2015.  

On that day, he stormed into Damaru's office without an appointment, after he became upset with Damaru for opposing his application for a legal officer's position.

Poga then picked up a paper tray and hit Damaru on the forehead causing a deep cut.

He was arrested and charged on May 6, 2015. 

Justice George Manuhu of the Waigani National Court today gave an oral ruling against Jeffery Sheekiot of Madang Province, after he was convicted for one count of wilful murder.

In sentencing him to 30 years, Justice Manuhu took into account that he is a policeman that the public look up to for protection.

He also said the killing of citizens by members of the police force is already prevalent, when sentencing Sheekiot.

Sarakolok West Transport (SWT) is owned by Eremas Wartoto and was given the contract for the renovation of facilities at the Kerevat National High school in November of 2008.

He was found guilty of misusing K6.4 million of that K7.9 million between January 29, 2009 and January 20, 2010.

Justice George Manuhu sentenced Wartoto to 10 years in prison with hard labor on Friday.

He said Wartoto’s downfall was a mixture of stupidity on his part, lack of due diligence and a lot of illegal help from the Department of National Planning & Monitoring.

He was taken to Bomana to be remanded soon after the decision was handed down. His bail was forfeited. 

Wartoto will return to court on April 21 where submissions will be made on his penalty sentence.

This case involved the misuse of funds allocated and paid to Sarakolok West Transport (SWT) for the renovation of facilities at the Kerevat National High school back in November of 2008.

Justice George Manuhu delivered his decision on verdict this afternoon after the trial was conducted in February last year.

Billy Sapsi Pokea of Suma village, Mendi, Southern Highlands Province, was committed by the District Court on May 19, 2015. He will  stand trial next Tuesday at the National Court.

Pokea, who seemed to have aged quite quickly due to his incarceration at Bomana, today appeared in court in crutches before Justice George Manuhu for mention.

He told the court he was still sorting out his legal representation because he intends to engage a private law firm to represent him and not the Public Solicitors office.

“If we want our country to be good we have to stop attacking each other in groups,” Justice Manuhu made the remarks before sentencing two men to two-and-a-half years in jail after they were found guilty for unlawfully detaining a man and causing grievous bodily harm to him.

“What if you both were in the same boat? You would feel frightened,” he said to 28-year-olds Pumai Aikipe and Jack Kunma.

He said their punishment must be seen as a message to the public that group intimidation must stop.

Justice Manuhu said Aikipe and Kunma’s actions were deliberate in 2011.