‘People cannot socialise without fighting’

By GIDEON KINDIWA
A MAGISTRATE says Papua New Guineans do not seem to be good at socialising because they ended up arguing and fighting and even someone getting killed.
His statement related to a case of assault causing grievous bodily harm in which he discharged the three accused men because evidence was “confusing”.
Bidar discharged Malu Sepoe, Jackson Holee and Peter Aisa in the Waigani Committal Court, saying evidence was “confusing and clearly insufficient” because the alleged offence took place during a drunken brawl at a party where so many people where involved and witness statements did not correlate.
“The alleged offence took place during a night out and as usual, all good things such as gatherings or parties ended up in some form of trouble,” Bidar said.
“It seems that Papua New Guineans are not good at socialising. Incidents, arguments and fights are always (happening) as the end result and sometimes people get killed.”
Sepoe, 25, is from Ioka village in Malalauwe, Gulf; Holee, 25, is from Kabiufa village in Goroka, Eastern Highlands and Aisa, 26, is from Inauauni village in Bereina, Central. They were alleged to have assaulted Sterlo Logoson, 26, a refrigeration and air conditioning technician with Curtain Brothers Ltd.
The alleged offence took place at about 2am on Oct 13 last year, at Poudo Bar Club at Crown Plaza, Downtown, Port Moresby. Logoson went out of the club to apologise to some men for an argument that happened inside. Holee went ahead and punched him and the others joined in.
Logoson sustained a broken nose, jaw and tooth.