25 yrs for killer cop

National

By HEZRON KISING
A JUDGE yesterday sentenced a police officer to 25 years in prison for killing a man outside a nightclub in Port Moresby two years ago, describing what he did as “merciless”.
National Court judge George Manuhu told Standley Kilip that as a police officer, he should have “known better”.
“I took into account witness statements that the accused acted alone in assaulting the deceased (Robert Giwa), and that he was a police officer,” he said.
“And policemen, like magistrate, judges and lawyers, are law officers. And we should know much, much better than everyone else.
“For Kilip, especially as a member of the country’s disciplined force, as enforcers of the law, everybody expects a police officer to uphold the law by being obedient to the rule.
“The attack by the officer (Kilip) was merciless.”
Justice Manuhu deducted six months from the 25 years sentence to account for the time Kilip had spent on remand at Bomana Prison. He will therefore serve 24 years and six months.
Justice Manuhu said he had considered the submission for sentence from the Public Prosecutors Office of between 20 and 25 years, and the submission from the Public Solicitors Office (on behalf of Kipil) of between nine and 11 years.
“The two submissions were too far apart and the court chose to stick to the basis record for the sentence.”
Kilip, from Tiki village in Mul Baiyer, Western Highlands is married with two children – a three-year-old boy and a one-year-old daughter. He was charged with wilful murder.
The court was told that on Feb 6, 2016, a fundraising dance organised by policewomen was held at the Sports Inn Club on Sir John Guise Drive. Giwa attended the party with his wife.
Between 4am and 5am, a fight broke out inside the club causing everyone to go outside.
Kilip was standing outside the main gate of the club when Giwa walked out.
The court was told that Kilip approached Giwa from behind and punched him on the back of his head, causing him to fall on the cement footpath.
Kilip then hit him several times on his neck and head with a spanner. He also kicked Giwa’s head before leaving in a vehicle.
Giwa was taken to the Port Moresby General Hospital. He died from the injuries he received.