Husband held over wife’s death

A 38-year-old man charged with the murder of his wife appeared in Hagen Committal Court yesterday.
Jacob Epo, from Ata village in Ialibu-Pangia, Southern Highlands, allegedly killed his wife, Evenlin Jacob, with a stone at Panga Coffee, in Anglimp-South Waghi, Jiwaka.
Epo was arrested and charged with wilful murder under the Criminal Code Act.
Police alleged that on April 8, the defendant had an argument with his late wife at home. During the argument, Jacob fled and dived into a pond.
Police said the defendant followed his wife armed a stone and waited for her to come out of the water.
It was alleged that when the woman emerged from the water, the defendant struck her head with the stone which caused her death.
Police said the couple married in 2014 but did not have any children.
Senior provincial magistrate Betty Jacob said the defendant would be remanded at Baisu jail and appear in court.
Jacob told Epo that the committal court didn’t have power to grant him bail because he was charged with a serious offence.
She told him that he could engage a lawyer to file a bail application at the national court which had power to grant bail applications.
The matter was adjourned to June 28.
In a separate matter, Mark Peno, 38 from Lakui village in Wabag district, Enga, was also refused bail by the committal court.
Peno was arrested and charged with attempted murder under the Criminal Code Act.
Police alleged that Peno, armed with a long knife, stabbed Joe Terap, a relative on May 3 at the Enga bus stop in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands.
Peno stabbed Terap after he allegedly locked him up at Lae cell for some another matter in 2017.
Terap was seriously injured and is still admitted in hospital.
The matter was adjourned to the June 26.