Court date set for medical doctor’s murder case

By ELIAS LARI
A MEDICAL doctor from Southern Highlands accused of killing his wife will appear in the Mt Hagen District Court on Aug 13, police say.
The doctor and two others were allegedly involved in the murder of Imelda Tubi Tiamanda from Mendi in Southern Highlands in May.
After their first appearance on May 14, Mt Hagen District Court Magistrate Leonard Mesmin remanded them at the Baisu jail in Western Highlands.
Police had arrested Dr Simon Temo (husband), 40, Paul Ken 27, and Nombe Kasu 42, all from Mopa village in the Karinz local level government (LLG) area of Mendi-Munihu electorate, Southern Highlands, for allegedly killing Tiamanda.
Police reports stated that Tiamanda, a student at the University of Goroka at that time and living with one of her cousins, was picked up by Temo on May 8 and both returned to Mendi.
While in Mendi, Temo had an argument with her and allegedly beat her with a hard object.
She suffered a fractured head, resulting in her death.
Her body was then hidden at their residence in Mendi.
On May 10, Temo, with the help of Ken and Kasu, wrapped Tiamanda’s body in a blue canvas, loaded it onto Temo’s vehicle and drove towards Mt Hagen.
Police caught up with them at the African Swine Flu (AFS) checkpoint in Western Highlands when they tried to reverse to drive back after sighting police personnel.
However, police from Kaupena Highway Patrol 17 in Southern Highlands who were at the checkpoint chased because of their suspicious move, caught them and discovered the body.