Officer faces murder charges

 A police officer has been charged with one count of wilful murder in connection to the death of a Tatana man, police say.

 National Capital District Metro Commander Supt Andy Bawa said yesterday the police officer faced a second wilful murder charge in connection with the death of a man in Hohola in 2010, 

Sgt Philip Boko, from Powat village, Manus, appeared in court on Saturday over the murders.

He  successfully applied for bail before Justice Panuel Mogish.  

The officer, attached to the National Capital District Criminal Investigation Unit, was arrested and charged on Friday in relation to the Tatana man’s death. 

Boko is accused of killing the man on Jan 17 when he was sent there with his unit to investigate the death of Harold Farapo. The late Farapo, from Gulf, was an executive of a landowner association.

Meanwhile, a Port Moresby General Hospital doctor of mixed Chimbu-Sepik parentage, was killed in the early hours of Saturday at NCC Valley, in NCD. 

The deceased, in his early 30s, was returning home after a night out. Bawa is calling for witnesses to help police with investigations.

In another case, a man appeared in the Waigani District Court charged with damaging the windscreen of a vehicle belonging to a road construction company in Port Moresby last month. Abel Thomas, who was released by police on a K300 bail, appeared in court for his first mention last Friday. He returns to court on March 13.