Police officer in custody after death of UPNG lecturer

A POLICE officer facing a charge of attempted murder has been remanded in custody.
Constable Gabriel Gal, 20, who appeared before Magistrate Mekeo Gauli in Waigani, was alleged to have bashed up, with other officers, University of Papua New Guinea lecturer Francis Essy in 2014 at a service station in Port Moresby.
He is also charged with armed robbery.
He has been remanded at the Bomana prison and will appear before the same court on Oct 4.
Police Internal Affairs senior Inspector Charles Winuan said Gal from Minj, Jiwaka, was among the armed police officers who had allegedly bashed up Essy after following him in two police vehicles to the service station.
It is alleged that Gal and the officers ordered Essy and three passengers out of his car and assaulted him. They also allegedly took K1000 cash, a phone and other valuable items from the car.
Winuan said Gal and the other officers also took Essy’s vehicle.
He said Essy was admitted at the Port Moresby General Hospital with a suspected fractured skull.
Winuan said the other officers would be arrested soon.