Murder suspect committed to stand trial

A 24-YEAR-OLD man charged with murder has been committed to trial in the National Court.
Enock Mathew from Ambi village, Kerowaghi, Chimbu, appeared in the Waigani Committal Court on Tuesday for allegedly stabbing a man to death last July in Port Moresby.
Magistrate Paul Puri Nii said there was sufficient evidence against the defendant and remanded him in custody for the trial date.
Nii said although Mathew denied the charge in his defence submission claiming that he had been forced to admit to the killing during a police interview.
“Evidence in respect to Mathew’s identification was consistent with all the witness, therefore, police evidence is acceptable to make a case,” he said.
Police allege that Mathew and a co-accused had been drunk and disturbing people watching television in front of a store at 8-Mile block at 2am on July 8 last year.
The store keeper came out and tried to stop them but they attacked him.
The deceased who had been selling betel nut nearby intervened when Mathew allegedly stabbed him in the chest with a knife.
The man was rushed to Port Moresby General Hospital was pronounced dead on arrival.
Mathew was arrested on July 15 and charged with murder and detained at the Boroko Police Station.