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By
PETER MIVA
A MOROBE man, married with four wives and has 10 children all under the age of
10, pleaded guilty before the National Court in Lae yesterday of killing his
fourth wife for stealing his dirty six-pocket trousers.
Peter Kapisa, from Umela village in the Menyamya district of the Morobe
province, while expressing remorse over the crime, told the court that the
deceased, Ronika Ange, stole the trousers from him because she intended to use
it against him in a sorcery ritual.
The convict, who appeared briefly before National Court judge Justice Sao Gabi,
told the court he acted out of frustration because it was the fifth time she
stole from him before running away to her village.
He told the court that he was afraid of retaliation by the deceased’s relatives
so he took her corpse further into the jungle and buried it, telling his other
three wives not to tell any one.
The court heard that on Oct 11 last year, at Kangopen village in the Menyamya
district, the convict and his second wife had met the deceased along a bush
track and upon questioning her, found the dirty trousers in her possession.
The court heard that the convict reacted angrily by hitting the deceased all
over her body with the butt of an axe.
The court heard that the convict proceeded further into the bushes with his
second wife and the deceased where he continued to beat up the latter with a
stick.
The court heard that the deceased fell unconscious and died later from the
beatings.
The court heard that the convict also suffered because the deceased’s relatives
had destroyed his food gardens and house although he had paid monetary
compensation.
The convict appeared on one count of murder under Section 300 of the Criminal
Code Act.
Justice Gabi told the court that this was a serious crime and therefore
requested a pre-sentence report on the convict before submissions on appropriate
penalty can be made.
He adjourned the court to Oct 8 for submissions to be made.
 
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