Four police officers found guilty of manslaughter

By JUNIOR UKAHA
A COURT has found four police officers guilty of manslaughter for the part they played in the death of a man three years ago at Warangoi in East New Britain.
Joe NgotNgot, Eric John, Jack Bemau and David Haro were initially charged with murder. But acting judge Justice David Susame reduced the charge after considering the circumstances surrounding the death of Wesley Nolu during a raid at Warangoi.
The four were members of the Police Task Force Unit in Kokopo. The court heard that they and other officers had conducted a raid at Nolu’s block at Floodway, Warangoi at around 3.30am on July 21, 2015. They had been tipped off that marijuana was being cultivated at the block.
During the search, Nolu was beaten up. He later died from the injuries he received.
The four denied assaulting Nolu. They said he had slipped off a log and injured himself.
Justice Susame said the injuries Nolu received were the direct result of the assault “by those involved in the illegal search”.
“It is inconceivable a single fall on the log crossing would have caused the injuries,” he said.
He said all those present and witnessing the beatings “are considered principal offenders and are each and severally criminally liable for causing the death”.
But he said on the issue of intention to kill, “evidence is lacking from the prosecution to establish convincingly the accused had the intention to kill Wesley Nolu when they conducted the raid and assaulted him”.
“Evidence, however, established Wesley Nolu died of a ruptured spleen as a result of the beatings he received. Hence, the alternative guilty verdict is entered for the crime of manslaughter,” he said.
Susame ordered that the four be remanded at Kerevat Prison pending the hearing of their submission on sentence on Sept 11.