Bus driver pleads not guilty to murder, causing injuries

A PMV bus driver pleaded not guilty to causing the death of a pastor and injuring some of his passengers in the Waigani grade five court yesterday.
Joel War, 37, from Togoba village, Mt Hagen in Western Highlands, told Magistrate Cosmas Bidar that due to faulty brakes, he lost control of the bus which led to it crashing into a drain while he was transporting passengers last year.
However, War failed to respond quickly to Magistrate Bidar’s questions regarding his plea, prompting police prosecutor Snr Constable McKenzie Ken to relay Bidar’s questions to him.
War then told the court that he had a hearing issue so he could not respond quickly.
Magistrate Bidar adjourned the matter to June 2 for trial.
On April 23, last year, between 7pm and 7.30pm, War was allegedly seen driving a Toyota Coaster bus, route four, and was picking up passengers from Downtown and Koki in the late afternoon and heading towards the Baruni-Porebada road.
Before reaching the roundabout, War tried to drive through a sloppy section of the road and ended up losing control of the bus.
He then allegedly crashed the bus into a drain towards the Baruni road.
Due to the impact of the crash, one of the passengers, Rev Mark Wena died.
Three allegedly suffered serious injuries while the rest sustained minor cuts and bruises.