Man in court on murder charge

National

By Alphonse Porau

A young man allegedly involved in the murder of another man this year in a village in Central appeared at the Waigani Committal Court last Thursday.
Hendry Joe, 19, from Angabanga village, was charged with one count of murder.
Magistrate Ben Kome said the crime was serious and ordered that the accused remain in custody for police to continue their investigations before serving his file.
It was alleged that on July 18, the accused and three others were cutting down trees using a chainsaw.
The victim and his wife heard the noise while walking past the location to go to their garden and victim sent the wife to check what was happening and to tell them to stop what they were doing.
The wife went and told them but they refused to listen so she went back to tell the husband.
She was followed by one of the boys, Allen Wai, and the victim confronted Wai and asked why they were cutting down the trees.
They argued and Wai swung a bush knife at the victim but missed.
The rest of the men including the accused, who was operating the chainsaw at that time, joined in and attacked the victim, chopping his abdomen and foot with the bush knife and speared him.
The man died from loss of blood.
The matter was reported to police who apprehended Joe at Angabanga Bridge on the Hiritano Highway.
Joe will appear for mention on Sept 28.