Five police officers facing court after man killed

By JIMMY KALEBE
THE LAE District Court has committed five policemen allegedly involved in the killing of a man at Eriku Raunwara in February to stand trial in the National Court.
All five were denied court bail and kept in custody at Buimo pristo await their appearance in court.
They were charged with one count each of manslaughter and three counts each of deprivation of liberty.
Magistrate Jeremiah Singomat, in handing down the decision last Wednesday, found sufficient evidence in each count to warrant a criminal trial in the National Court.
The court heard that the five were at the time of the alleged offence, under the influence of alcohol.
Police report presented in court said the defendants Noel Sine, Heni Meakoro, Junior Kore, Alex Gambe and Francis Dokono threatened the deceased and his friends with a gun and fired a shot to force them to swim the lake at Eriku during the night.
The report stated that despite the deceased’s plea to the defendants that he did not know how to swim, he was forced to do so, resulting in him drowning.
He was found dead in the lake the following morning while his two friends made it through and got away. The defendants will appear in the National Court on Sept 3.