Man in court on charges of wilful murder

A man has appeared before the Waigani Committal Court on charges of wilful murder and armed robbery.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar said the defendant, Theo Wani, 24, from Harua in Yangoru, East Sepik, was flown in from Wewak for his case to be prosecuted in Port Moresby.
Police reports alleged that Wani was in the company of eight others on April 19 last year when they held up a bus along the Sepik Highway between Munji and Wamayan village and took properties worth more than K1000 from passengers.
The reports alleged that the defendants were under the influence of liquor.
Police reports also alleged that the defendant and his accomplices at the time had set up an ambush on Kusambuk High School chairman Bill Labmienben, who was on the bus at that time because they had got a tipoff that he would be doing some banking.
Reports alleged that the defendant shot the bus driver in the head (he died instantly) using a shotgun, and escaped to Lae.
Wani was later apprehended and taken to Port Moresby.
Magistrate Bidar adjourned the case to March 5.
Meanwhile, another Yangoru man, Jude Huraing, from Harimpo, in Yangoru, also appeared before the same court to face charges of armed robbery and rape on the Sepik Highway on Jan 23 last year.
Police reports alleged that the defendant was also among a group of youths who held up a 25-seater PMV between 4am and 5am between Maringe and Haripmo village, and stole K9800 worth of cash and K6000 worth of properties from passengers. Others alleged to have been accomplices of Huraing were Theo Wani, Johnna Wani and Eser Barnabas.
Magistrate Bidar adjourned Huraing’s case to Wednesday to allow time for the investigation officer, who was still in Yangoru. to serve the files to the prosecution.