Jailed 35yrs for killing doctor

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A 22-YEAR-OLD man was jailed 35 years with hard labour by the National Court in Lae, Morobe, for killing an Angau Memorial Hospital doctor during a robbery with three accomplices in June 2016.
Justice Lawrence Kangwia, when sentencing Junior Solo early this month, said two of his accomplices had been jailed 35 years and another 25 years.
The defence lawyer submitted that a sentence between 20 and 30 years would be appropriate, considering that the prisoner was a first-time offender and co-operated with police.
He also submitted that Solo was raised in a crime-infested area and peer pressure was difficult to resist and that he was he was poorly educated.
“Solo also played a lesser role in the incident and did not inflict any injury on the doctor,” the defence lawyer Said.
The state lawyer submitted that a sentencing between 25 and 35 years should be imposed as the aggravating factors outweighed the mitigation. The State lawyer submitted that there was no regard for human life, Solo acted in a group and the death of the doctor was caused during an armed robbery.
“Solo acted under the influence of alcohol and was on the run from police for two years after the killing and armed robbery and murder is prevalent in society,” the State lawyer said.
The court heard that Solo and his accomplices, on June 25, 2016, at Ass Mambu in Lae’s Back Road, held up Dr Alphonse Rongap who was dropping off a friend. When Dr Rongap resisted, he was shot at point blank and died instantly.
A post-mortem revealed that he died from head injuries with pellets embedded in the brain.
Justice Kangwia told Solo that the offence he committed with his accomplices infringed on freedom, encroaches on the privacy and instilled fear into unsuspecting persons who were subjected to harm and loss of property.
“Murder is becoming prevalent in society despite the high sentences imposed by courts,” Justice Kangwia said.
While rejecting the defence lawyer’s submission that the prisoner was a first-time offender, Justice Kangwia ruled that all perpetrators in the crime must be sentenced on the same basis as all were equally guilty because without each other playing their part, the crime would not be committed.
Solo’s time spent in custody will be deducted.
The balance will be served in Buimo Prison.