Justice Nicholas Kirriwom

The Waigani National Court on Monday sentenced Southern Highlands man, Billy Sapsi Pokea of Suma village, to 25 years after he was found guilty on May 11.

His conviction came after a trial was conducted by Justice Nicholas Kirriwom at Waigani.

Pokea was responsible for the brutal murder of the late Dennis Taylor Bebego on July 5, 2014.

The court ordered for his transfer to Mendi where he will serve time. He has been in custody since his arrest.

The sentence was deferred to allow time for officers from the Community Based Corrections Probation Service to interview Southern Highlands man, Billy Sapsi Pokea and produce a Pre-sentence Report.

This report is vital in assisting the court to decide its sentence against Pokea.

During submission on sentence last month, Pokea asked the court to impose a suspended sentence term on him due to his health condition.

Justice Nicholas Kiriwom in adjourning the sentence said this report will assist the court to come up with a just decision.

Southern Highlands man, Billy Sapsi Pokea returned to court today with his lawyer, where submissions were made in court on what his appropriate penalty sentence should be.

Pokea was given the opportunity to address the court before submissions were made by counsels.

He spoke of his history as a public servant for 26 years and his contribution to the country. He also highlighted his family background and the fact that he has children who are still in school when asking for the leniency of the court.

Justice Nicholas Kirriwom today found Pokea guilty after he conducted a trial against him and was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that he attacked Bebego with a busk knife with intentions to kill him.

Bebego’s body was found lying in a pool of blood in his own office on 5 July, 2014, at the Department of Foreign Affairs office at Waigani after a scuffle with Pokea.

The Waigani National Court today sentenced the 49-year-old man, who was an IT technician by profession.

He will spend 21 years and 8 months at Bomana after the court deducted time spent in remand (4 months) from the head sentence.

Justice Nicholas Kirriwom, in handing down the court’s sentence, said one parent loses all moral value once he turns on his own child to satisfy his sexual lust.

The trial started on Tuesday and all evidence came to an end at 11:20 today after lawyers for the accused and the State made submissions of verdict.

The man stood trial over allegations he sexually assaulted a minor two years ago at Nine-Mile in Port Moresby.

He pleaded not guilty which prompted a trial to take place.

The victim who is now 11 years old was the first witness called by the State who gave evidence in camera (a closed, private court session).

 The Waigani National Court convicted him after the court was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that he did sexually penetrate his daughter following a trial.

He will return to court today where the court will hear submissions on sentence. 

Presiding judge, Justice Nicholas Kirriwom in his ruling on verdict said the father lied to the court that he only sexually touched his daughter.

He said there was no logic that a sensible person would believe the father would have picked her up from school in three different occasions just to fondle her.

A trial was conducted in the Waiagnai National Court after the man pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting his 13-year-old daughter in 2012.

The victim was in grade 6 at the time she was allegedly assaulted on three occasions.

The man whose identity is withheld to the age of the victim stood trial before Justice Nicholas Kirriwom this week.

It is the State’s allegation that he sexually assaulted her (penetration) in August, September and November of 2012 at various locations in the city after picking her up from school.

The SAPNG Education Resource Centre was set up in honour of patron of Tupira Surf Club, Justice Nicholas Kirriwom.

It was officially launched during the staging of the 2017 PNG KUMUL World Longboard Championships in March at Tupira Surf Club, Ulingan Bay, Bogia District in Madang Province.

The centre has been established in line with SAPNG’s ‘No School - No Surf’ policy which focuses on empowering children with the fundamentals of education in lieu of access to surf boards.

The books for the centre were donated by the Buk Bilong Pikinini.

Justice Nicholas Kirriwom awarded Jackson Kunis a sum of K124,821 with 8 percent interest (K27,002), totaling K151,823 for his injuries.

The car he was traveling in ran into another vehicle, driven by an employee of the Correctional Service. He sustained fractures to his right leg and a heavy blow to his head as a result of the collision.

The vehicle Kunis ran into was a Toyota Land Cruiser with a government vehicle registration and driven by Peter Warea.