Cop gets 5 years for bribery

A POLICE sergeant was jailed five years by the National Court for receiving K50,000 to free a detainee in Port Moresby four years ago.
Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, in jailing Stanley Japele, 45, from Sawom village in Wewak, East Sepik, said yesterday that the practice of police officers asking for favours was becoming rooted as a way of doing police work.
“This is unlawful and must be punished.
“We must not be complacent to allow this practice to flourish and grow,” Sir Gibbs said.
“There appears to be widespread apathy among the community showing lack of interest or concern to do anything.
“The practice of asking for favours is not only entrenched in the police force but also entrenched in other government agencies.”
Japele had, between May 20, 2018 and May 30, 2018, in Port Moresby, corruptly asked and received K50,000 from Onne Bani to facilitate the release of Aaron Cui who had been detained.
On or about May 21, 2018, Cui was detained by the police who contacted his friend Bani to help him to be released on bail.
Bani sought policeman Paul Bari who told him that Japele would help him facilitate bail for Cui.
The next day, Bani met Japele who told him that Cui was charged with seven offences, so he would be charged K10,000 each.
Japele said he would negotiate for a lesser amount of K5,000 per charge.
And the total would be K35,000 for the seven charges.
Japele added that he would need an additional K15,000 to pay the bosses for their services to free Cui on bail.
Based on Japele’s request, Bani gave him K50,000, but Cui was never released.
Sir Gibbs noted that the offence of official corruption was a serious one.