Five officers charged with manslaughter of man in lake

FIVE policemen are facing charges of deprivation of liberty and manslaughter over the death of a man in Lae last month.
This follows three weeks of police investigations into the death of Samuel Kola Khay, 22, from Mani village in Sinesine, Chimbu, whose body was found on the morning of Jan 22, floating in a lake along Markham Road.
Metropolitan Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr said the five officers were each charged with three counts of the two offences.
Wagambie did not name the policemen.
It is alleged that the five officers had picked up Khay and two other men in an unmarked vehicle and took them to the Raun Wara where they forced them to swim across the lake.
Khay drowned in the process while his two colleagues managed to escape.
“They were charged last Friday and detained at the police cells,” he said.
Wagambie said police must maintain professional conduct.
“No one is above the law even if it is a serving police personnel,” Wagambie said.
Wagambie said it was up to the officers to defend themselves in court.
“I appeal to the community at Kapiak Street to remain calm and allow the court process to progress,” Wagambie said.