Killer jailed for life

By CHARLES MOI
A MAN who killed 10 Chinese nationals in a robbery in a shop on Manus Island about four years ago has been jailed for life by the National Court.
Justice Vergil Narokobi told Graham Floyd Peter, 31, of Likum village, on Friday that “this was crime of sadistic cruelty, of colossal proportion”.
“You resented being terminated from employment by one of the deceased. The resentment took seed in your heart, grew, and matured into deep hatred. The hatred that you cultivated gave life to vengeance.
“In ironic imagery, the vengeance engulfed your mind and your soul like a fire, searing your conscience and basic humanity, enkindling you to a course that wrought devastation, destruction, and death.
“In your eyes, the misery of 10 innocent human beings was a trophy for you to parade before his relatives.
“In my view, it was your seared conscience seeking solace and salvation, such that your basic human dignity commanded you to free your mind from the bondage of the blood on your hands by confessing your crime to three different people, so as to wash your conscience,” he said.
Peter’s co-accused Robillo Micah and Nathan Boas were discharged after the State presented a nolle prosequi (no wish to prosecute) notice for both of them.
The court heard that in the early hours of Sept 22, 2017, Peter, in the company of accomplices broke into Splendid Star shop in Lorengau, took an undisclosed sum of money and set the building on fire, killing 10 Chinese nationals.
The 10 killed were women Yan Xiamei, Weng Yun, Li Na, Yan Chenxia, Wu Fenghua, and men Yang Minghui, Shi Yun, Chen Shi Yi, Chen Qinghua and Yan Xin.
The court heard that there was no direct evidence of Peter’s involvement, except that he confessed to the crime to three witnesses, who were his close relatives.
On Feb 4, the National Court convicted Peter of murder.
Peter who is married and has a two-year-old child apologised for his actions.
He asked the court to be lenient on him as he had to care for his old father and young family.
Justice Narokobi said the evidence from the police forensics showed that the Chinese nationals were either murdered or tied up before the building was set alight, incinerating them beyond recognition.
He said this was a case where the murder was pre-meditated, vicious and brutal.
“The killing was in cold blood of innocent and defenseless or harmless persons. It was with complete and blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life. The persons were either tied up in the building or already murdered when they met their horrific fate.
“Due to the number of persons that have been killed, I recommend that if Peter is ever considered for parole (and I am not suggesting that he should be or should not be), he should only be eligible for parole after he has served (at least) 40 years imprisonment,” he added.