13 called to testify in Madang murder trial

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
THE state yesterday closed its case in the murder trial involving prominent Madang businesswoman Catherine Mal, her son and two of her nephews before Judge David Canning.
The state called 13 witnesses, with medical examiner Dr Bobby Welsh, crime scene photographer Chief Sgt Uluman Hanlau and finger print expert Julie Kum as the last three to take the stand yesterday.
The court was told that on Feb 28, 2009, Lotivi and Moses Mal, and Emmanuel Ong (Catherine Mal’s son), in the company of others armed with bush knives, sticks, stones and slingshots picked an argument with a Kelly Sakel at the 4-Mile market.
Arguments flared and a fight escalated, fuelled by Catherine Mal’s insistence to “Go kilim ol” (Go and kill them).
Witness Kum said Catherine had driven to her home that afternoon and persistently told her brothers to jump into her “big foot green Hilux”.
They drove to the junction of the Yagaum road where “stones were flying and a big fight occurred in which I was scared”, she said.
Kum said after the fight, the group on Mal’s vehicle drove an injured relative of the Mals to Modilon General Hospital. On arrival they heard that Daga Nanas had died.
Fearing for their lives, they drove to Yagaum Hospital instead to be treated that same afternoon.
Court documents said the deceased was struck on the mouth with a three-sided iron rod (used for fencing) by Emmanuel.
While the deceased was down, Keith Mal (cousin to Emmanuel) pushed a US army knife into his mouth twice and on the third twisted the knife and cut his tongue out.
Other witnesses who testified and who suffered injuries were Humuk Adaug, who was beaten, kicked and stabbed on the head, Rohen Sakel, beaten with a metre-long iron rod and stabbed by a flat head screw driver on hand, and Issac Lui, who was swiped at with the US army knife, suffering a cut to the underside of his armpit.
The fight occurred because of a long-standing land dispute and ongoing conflict between the two houses not far from each other in Yeglum village.
Nanas had two of his vehicles smashed by the group with damage estimated at K15,000.
The state yesterday tendered in court all affidavits of the accused persons, photographs of the deceased at the morgue both in print and originals, pictures of the damaged vehicle, medical reports and others.
The matter has been adjourned to Monday for the defence to consider how it would like to present its case.