Magistrate refuses bail for Unitech students

 By NICHOLAS SIREO
THREE university students who appeared at the Lae District Court last Friday over their alleged involvement in the killing of a fellow student at the University of Technology were refused bail.
Magistrate Jeremiah Singomat told the trio from Enga that their case was serious so they would have to make an application through a lawyer in the national court if they wanted bail.
“I don’t have the authority to release you on bail, however, a judge has the power to do so in the national court,” he told the students.
Singomat told them that an investigation into their case was ongoing so they would be remanded until next Friday when their case returns to the committal court.
Lawrence Simon, 22, of Sakales village in Wabag, Lorry Paul, 22, of Lanakep village in Wabag, and Gideon Luio, 21, of Kaikin village in Wapenamanda, allegedly killed Graham Rumanong in his dormitory room on campus.
The students were told by the court that their alleged crime breached Section 299 (1) of the country’s Criminal Code Act.
Rumanong was a first-year surveying and lands studies student when he was killed in his room on the night of June 25.
Rumanong, from Mendi, Southern Highlands, was killed after returning to the campus from home following a clash among rival student groups. According to a police report, he died after sustaining injuries from knife wounds.