Doctor killer jailed for 35 years

By HEZRON KISING
A MAN who killed a doctor in Lae three years ago has been jailed for 35 years with hard labour.
National Court judge Justice John Kaumi found David Naia of Morobe last Thursday guilty of murder.
Naia killed Dr Alphonse Rongap on June 25, 2016, when attempting to steal his car after he had dropped off a friend at Back Road in Lae. Rongap was a paediatrician at the Angau Memorial Hospital.
Naia’s accomplice Katsu Bafu Mera was sentenced earlier this year by Justice Kaumi to 25 years in prison.
The court heard that on Saturday, June 25, 2016, Naia was drinking beer with Mera and others in Mera’s house at Back Road.
At around 5pm, they walked towards the main road.
While the men were drinking and standing beside the road, Rongap driving his vehicle stopped nearby to drop off a friend.
He was making his way back when Naia and Mera armed with guns ran towards the road to stop him and take over the vehicle.
Rongap did not stop and was driving away when Naia shot him on the head.
He died instantly.
Naia fled to East Sepik in 2017 after a breakout from Lae’s Buimo Prison involving inmates.
He was involved in another robbery in Wewak where police shot him on the leg.
One of his accomplices was also shot dead.
Naia was aided by his sister to run away from police in Wewak.
They boarded a ship but police after a tip-off arrested him and his sister.