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A POLICEMAN in East New Britain was
jailed for life last week after being found guilty by the National Court
of shooting another man several times at close range outside a nightclub
in Kokopo four years ago.
Richard Liri, aged 35 from Lese Avihara village in the Gulf province
committed what the court described as an execution-style murder as he
walked up to the man - Jack Peni, a security guard at the club, on
February 2, 2003.
Liri shot Peni the legs and in the back several times at close range on
the street outside the Kadat nightclub in Kokopo in the early hours of
the morning. Peni died several days later.
Liri, married to an ENB woman, was sentenced by Justice Gregory Lay in
the Kokopo National Court last Thursday.
Describing the crime as “a killing in cold blood” and an
“execution-style killing”, Justice Lay said the penalty for wilful
murder had been amended from life imprisonment to execution under
section 299 of the Criminal Code Act.
He said most recently, the Supreme Court had provided further assistance
as to the type of cases, which might warrant the death penalty.
However, he said this case did not fall into that list of worst crimes.
Justice Lay said the prisoner made a statement to the wife of one of the
club’s staff before the murder that he was going to “get” the victim and
that he did so some three to four hours later.
“This is very strong indication that the murder was pre-planned and
premeditated.
He said unfortunately for Peni, it was not a quick dispatch by a shot to
the head.
“It was a killing carried out in manner to ensure that Peni suffered
before he died.
“I note his (Liri’s) co-operation with police and his service with the
police force of approximately 10 years,” the judge responded to Liri’s
lawyer’s submission in mitigation.
“There is no evidence from him of extenuating circumstances. He has
shown no remorse and for such an act. As a law enforcement officer, the
crime is a grave breach of the trust society placed in him,” Justice Lay
said.
Meanwhile, Liri has appealed to the Supreme Court against the verdict,
which was handed down on June 1.
This case was still pending when the decisional sentence was handed down
last week.
Liri is also serving 15 years for armed robbery of a vehicle in Rabaul
that was committed prior to the murder.
 
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