Officers’ sons plead guilty to assault

 By JENNIFER NKUI 

THREE police officers’ sons and a constable pleaded guilty in a National Court in Waigani yesterday to assaulting a person while intoxicated.

Justice Panuel Mogish deferred sentencing to today after submission by the prosecution and defence.

The four – Aiden Hevoho, Joe Apkas, Danni Bani and Alex Akilave – committed the offence at the Tasion police barracks in Gerehu, Port Moresby, on Aug 4, 2012.

The court heard that the complainant, who is a police officer, drove into the barracks early that day and found the boys making noises.

When he told the boys to go home, they punched him. They then took his pistol and drove off in his car, the prosecutor said.

The complainant, who was under the influence of alcohol, was taken to hospital for treatment.

In pressing for a deterrent sentence, the prosecutor said the boys punched the victim in the face and could have caused serious injury.

“They should not use alcohol as an excuse because they all grew up in police homes,” she said.

“One of the accused is a police officer and he should have controlled the situation but he did not.”