Former cop jailed 7yrs

By ZEDAIAH KANAU
THE police officer who assaulted a university lecturer in 2014 causing serious injuries has been jailed for seven years with hard labour.
National Court judge Justice George Manuhu told (now former) Constable Philip Bomal, 29, from Tabare village, Sinesine in Chimbu, that police officers were expected to arrest people in a lawful manner.
“I don’t know when policemen will stop assaulting citizens. We expect them to arrest people in a lawful way. Nowadays Papua New Guineans are more educated and know their rights. They know how to pursue a case against a policemen. So it’s a risky job being a policeman,” Justice Manuhu said.
Bomal was convicted on Nov 15 for assaulting University of PNG lecturer Francis Essy in 2014.
The court was told that there were other police officers involved in the incident but Bomal was the only one charged.
Francis Essy, a lecturer at the UPNG School of Business, and his two nephews had stopped over at the Manu service station when they were confronted by police officers in two vehicles. They were asked to go to the Hohola police station. When they refused, they were assaulted. Essy was badly injured and has skull fractures.
In mitigation, the court was told that Bomal is the sole breadwinner with three children, is a first-time offender, and is willing to pay K5,000 as compensation.
But Justice Manuhu told him “if you are concerned about your family, do not commit an offence”.
Five weeks Bomal had spent in custody were deducted from the jail term.