Brother gets 6 years

 THE National Court has jailed a man for six years for attacking his younger brother with a bush knife at a market in Madang last year.

Pokira Kadog committed the offence after suspecting that his wife was having an affair with his brother. 

Justice David Cannings imposed the sentence after Kadog pleaded guilty to the charge of grievous bodily harm with intent. 

“Any grievous bodily harm case in which a bush knife is used is a very serious case, involving great distress to the victim as it puts them in a life-threatening situation,” Cannings stated in his judgment. 

“I place great weight on the fact that the offender (Kadog) has made very early admissions and cooperated fully with the police and the court. He has pleaded guilty.”

Kadog, 45,  from Burag village in Karkar Island will spend five years, two months, three weeks and four days in prison after time spent in custody was deducted from the sentence. The court heard that the incident occurred at Burang market on Karkar Island on June 5 last year. 

Kadog approached his brother from the back and hit him on the shoulder without warning. 

Kadog’s brother stood up but Kadog hit him a further two times before by-standers intervened and stopped Kadog. 

Kadog’s brother spent 11 days in hospital. 

The major injury suffered was a deep cut on his right shoulder, according to his medical report. 

Kadog pleaded guilty and asked the court to put him on probation so he could return to the village to settle the problem. 

He was married to his third wife for a month when the incident occurred.  Kadog’s wife returned to her home at Goroka soon after the incident. 

Aggravating factors in the case were that Kadog used a lethal weapon, the victim was unarmed and an element of planning was involved.