Man on trial over defamatory comments

A FORMER Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST) employee was committed to stand trial in the National Court for three counts of defamatory publication on social network against Leah Margis and Fr Jan Czuba in 2019.
Magistrate Paul Nii, last Monday, in committing Sebastian Bosco, 32, of Sangurap village in Enga’s Wabag, said police had delivered appropriate evidence meeting all the elements of the three counts of defamatory publication pursuant to Section 21 (2) of the Cybercrime Code Act 2016.
“Evidence showed that Bosco intentionally and without lawful excuse used an electronic system, namely Facebook and posted defamatory publication against the victims,” he said.
Police alleged that Bosco deliberately posted defamatory publication on Facebook against the victims when he was terminated from employment.
Police further alleged that Bosco, at the time of allegation, used three different Facebook accounts with different names; Sebastian Bosco Dominique, Essmkay Billy and Thianzkastaan Sapukalo.
Bosco was arrested at the Waigani Court House on Feb 11 and taken to the police station where he allegedly admitted that he had posted the comments by using his different Facebook accounts.
Police alleged that on Sept 30, 2019, on Facebook, a person named Essemky Billy wrote and posted “Systematic abuse of the office and powers of the secretary of the DHERST by syndicate” and displayed the whole paragraph about the victim to the effect.
Police further alleged that Bosco also posted the following comments: “Why is the Prime Minister James Marape keeping this criminal (referring to Fr Jan) in (DHERST) after being criminally charged with abuse of Office and 9 counts of official corruption?”