Man gets life for murder

National, Normal
Source:

DOREEN POLOH WAIM

A 30-YEAR-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for premeditated murder.
Peter Gilgil Angara, 30 from Du village, Kamtai, in Simbu province was convicted of the 2006 wilful murder of Chris Gesu, 20, of Wasu in Morobe province.
Angara had murdered Gesu at Kapiak street “in revenge for the death of the son of a prominent civic leader of this city”, presiding judge Justice Nicholas Kirriwom said yesterday.
“He was abducted from his house in the middle of the night and taken over to the leader’s premises and summarily executed in the most savage, barbaric and horrific manner.
“There is no evidence that the owner of the property in which this murder was carried out was present at the time and that he encouraged the killing and there is no evidence of either James Khay or any other person who might have been associated with this killing has been charged,” Justice Kirriwom said
On Aug 5, 2006, between 9pm and 10pm, Angara and four men were armed and went to the house of one Simon Makuku at Kapiak Street.
They chased the family and dragged Gesu out of his room. Angara then set the house on fire.
The prisoner and his accomplices took the young man 10m away and severely beat him in the head, face and neck.
He died from wounds to his head, face and neck.
The court was also told that earlier during the day at Boundary Road, Lae, a young lad from Simbu was killed by some people allegedly from Kabwum.
This young boy was the son of Lae city lord mayor James Khay. The circumstances surrounding this killing are unclear.
Justice Kirriwom said pay back killing had always been considered the most serious of wilful murders and the life of the innocent victim ended in a most brutal and barbaric, cold-blooded fashion.
Wilful murder carries a maximum penalty of death by hanging under section 299 of the Criminal Code.
Justice Kirriwom said he initially considered imposing the maximum penalty.
But he said he decided not to because of the uncertainty of the law in relation to practical enforcement and application of the death sentence.