Waigani National Court

The Waigani National Court this morning sentenced two of the men to 25 years in prison while four were given 20 years in jail each.

Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika gave a concurrent sentence to the six; Casper Louis, Paul Steven, Gelison William, Hubert Korede, Stewart Korina and Samson Banaso.

They were convicted for conspiring to steal and stealing.

The charge for stealing they stood trial for is under the amended section 372(1)(A)(7) of the Criminal Code Act that was done on Sept 18, 2013. The Robbery was committed on Oct 4, 2013.

Justice Panuel Mogish issued the stern warning at the Waigani National Court when sentencing a 19-year-old to 12 years in prison.

“You can come to court and say sorry and offer to pay compensation, but that will not bring his life back. He’s gone, finished!” he said.

“This is a case where the offender should be imprisoned. He has robbed the life of another young man, and I do not think it would do justice to the deceased if I were to impose a generous sentence.

The court was satisfied that he had serious issues to be heard by the court and that his suspension should be stayed to make sure the operations of the Hela Provincial Government went ahead uninterrupted.

Bando will remain as Provincial Administrator while the court reviews the manner in which he was suspended. He was suspended on April 15.

Douglas Ross Crabb of Otahuhu, New Zealand, and Stella Teha Pia of Hula, Central Province, were both discharged of the allegations they raped a Joselyn Pakure in 2015.

Their lawyer moved a no case submission on May 18, asking the court to stop the trial halfway after the state closed its evidence in the trial.

The court upheld the no case submission last Friday and discharged the rape charge against them accordingly.

Lawyers for the former director of the National Library and Archives, Jacob Hevelawa, his wife Miriam Hevelawa, and the former corporate service manager of the National Library and Archives, Timothy Numara, moved a no case submission asking the Waigani National Court to discharge them.

They moved the application after the state closed its evidence in the trial, saying the state's evidence produced in the trial so far is misconceived and that witnessed called by the state gave opinions rather than evidence.

Following a trial, the Waigani National Court convicted Jeffery Sheekiot of Sumusamu village, Bogia, Madang Province, for one count of wilful murder.

The court found that Sheekiot, while in the company of other officers on 19 April 2013, shot Feline Bune, a 12-year-old girl, during a car chase between 7pm and 9pm.

Police were under the impression the vehicle, driven by the mother of the deceased, was stolen after they saw it being chased by another private vehicle along the Waigani drive opposite Boroko Motors.

Royal PNG Constabulary lawyers, on May 8, filed the case against Sam Koim as chairman of Investigation Task Force Sweep team, Chief Inspector Timothy Gitua, Sergeant Aaron Eliza, Sergeant Pius Peng, Senior Constable Basi Sopata comprising the Investigation Task Force Sweep team, the NEC and the State.

In-house lawyer from the Constabulary, Stanley Poga, appeared before Justice Leka Nablu last week for the proceeding filed under the judicial review track.

However, the matter was adjourned because the state did not appear, despite being served on May 16.

Paul Steven, Gelison William, Hubert Korede, Stewart Korina and Samson Banaso all returned before Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika today.

They were found guilty on April 13 for their involvement in the country’s biggest armed robbery at one time where K5.96 million belonging to Maybank was stolen in Port Moresby between 9:30 and 10am on October 4, 2013.

They were given the opportunity to address the court on their appropriate penalty sentence or submissions on sentence.

At the close of the State’s evidence, lawyer representing Douglas Ross of Otahuhu, New Zealand and Stella Teha Pia of Hula, Central Province moved a no-case submission, asking the court to dismiss the allegations against them half way through the trial on the basis they have no case to answer to.

They moved the application asking trial Judge, Justice Panuel Mogish to dismiss the case saying the prosecution’s evidence presented in court through its witnesses, is not proof beyond reasonable doubt for them to respond to.

From Ali island,  Aitape in the West Sepik Province he was found guilty by the Waigani National Court on February 10 for forging his former wife’s signature twice to sell their house without her knowledge and consent in year 2000.

Steven returned to court today for submission on sentence. He was given the opportunity to address the court on what his appropriate penalty sentence should be.

He told the court that his former wife had knowledge and consented to him facilitating the sale of the property with some of the sale proceeds given to her when he went to Rabaul.