Waigani National Court

Douglas Ross of Otahuhu, New Zealand and Stella Teha Pia are standing trial on the charge of aggravate rape, a charge under section 347 of the Criminal Code Act.

They appeared before Justice Panuel Mogish this morning where the allegations against them were read in court.

Both Ross and Pia pleaded not guilty to the allegations which saw the trial commence.

It is the State’s allegation that they sexually assaulted a Joselyn Pakure between  August  1 and 2, 2015 at their home at Boroko after they invited her and other friends over for a gathering that night.  

The Waigani National Court conducted a trial last week against the man from Abau in the Central Province and found him not guilty because it was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt he was the one who sexually assaulted the girl.

Both the state and defence put forward a strong case in the trial that saw five witnesses give evidence in court.

Western Highlands man Joshua Kraip was sentenced to two years in jail on Thursday after he was found guilty for unlawfully using a stolen motor vehicle that he was supposed to impound at the Gordon Police Station on March 10, 2016.

His jail term was suspended by the court and he was instead placed on two years of good behaviour bond and ordered to pay K2000 compensation to the owner of the vehicle.

The vehicle, belonging to Camilus Narokobi, was stolen from his wife on Feb 16 last year at East Boroko.

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.

Giro Pakil Gideon from Enga Province pleaded guilty to cutting a Peter Aki using a bush knife in the early hours of October 3, 2015 at Makana, Nine-Mile.

He told the court he cut Aki after the victim told him that he was the man responsible for the death of his step father.

The two were in the company of others the previous night drinking when Aki told Gideon he killed his father.

Gideon then took his revenge and cut Aki in his sleep.

The court heard he sat on Aki’s legs and slashed his head four times, leaving four deep wounds.

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).

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.

He is on trial for sexually assaulting a minor; a girl aged 13 at their family home under the pretext of praying with her.

His case was listed for trial today but later deferred to next week Monday.

The man was committed by the District court on March 11, last year to stand trial. 

According to the summary of facts that was put before the district court; the incident took place on 13 September 2015.

The defendant was brought to Port Moresby in August 2015 by the family of the victim after they heard of his spiritual healing powers.

All evidence that will be considered by the court from witnesses closed yesterday afternoon.

Trial judge and Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika will now proceed to hear submissions from Parker’s lawyers and the state on the evidence they provided in court since Monday.

The state called eight witnesses in its case, these included the late Lapan Nason’s daughter, who is the state’s key witness, four medical doctors, two colleagues of Nason, the arresting officer and a forensic photographer.

Casper Louis of Salamua, Morobe Province pleaded guilty on March 7 for his involvement with others in the Maybank robbery, where K5.9 million was taken by G4S security guards during transportation to the Central bank.

No trial was conducted in his case because he admitted to the allegations. He will now return to court for submissions on sentence.

Louis is among the other four men who were employed by G4S at the time of the offense.

The others are Paul Steven, Gelison William, Hubert Korede and Stewart Korina. Samson Banaso was not an employee of G4S.