Late Dennis Taylor Bebego

​25 years for former diplomat’s murderer

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.

Court awaits report for sentence

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.

​Pokea guilty of murdering Bebego

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.

​Verdict soon on Pokea murder case

Pokea is the man who is accused to have murdered former diplomat, the late Dennis Taylor Bebego, on July 5, 2014, at the Department of Foreign Affairs office at Waigani.

A trial was conducted last Friday which saw three state witness give evidence in court on the alleged murder. Pokea was the only defense witness who gave evidence.

The matter returned this morning before Justice Nicholas Kirriwom, where submissions were made by state lawyers and his lawyer based on the evidence that was presented during the trial.

Evidence in Pokea trial close

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.

Trial date set for Bebego’s accused murderer

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.