Five suspects await trial

 By ADRIAN MATHIAS

FIVE people charged with habouring prison escapees William Nanua Kapris and Raphael Walimini appeared before Magistrate Pinson Pindipia in the Waigani Committal Court yesterday.

The five are Steven Yafai, a serving member of the defence force; Kevin Kom, an employee of InterOil Ltd; Nelson Inei, Philomena Kalagaus and Margret Dola Lapu.

Pindipia read to them their charges before adjourning the case to Oct 29 to allow police to complete investigations and prepare files.

Pindipia told them that the function of the committal court was to assess the evidence provided by the prosecution. 

And if there is sufficient evidence against them, their case may be committed to the National Court for trial. If not, the case will end at the Committal Court.  

Pindipia told them that their lawyer would have to apply for bail if they wanted to await trial outside.

Kapris and Walimini were shot dead by police outside Port Moresby on July 22. 

The two had escaped with a third inmate, Michael Warangu, from Bomana Prison on May 14. Warangu’s body was found floating in a river outside Port Moresby on the same day.

Police, prison officers and soldiers staged a joint operation to look for the remaining two. After a tip-off from a member of the public, Kapris and Walimini were cornered at a road in Central and shot dead by police.