Punch to head kills boy, 9

CENTRAL Committal Court Magistrate Laura Kuvi has remanded two men charged with the murder of a nine-year-old boy at Madoguba village in Kairuku-Hiri, Central.
John George, 21, from Madoguba and Henry Joe, 28, of Kauo village in Pangia, Southern Highlands, were alleged to have killed Robert Ivan Lari from Leseoalai village in Gulf.
It was alleged that on Feb 29, between 1pm and 5pm, George punched Lari on the back of his head, intentionally to injure him. The boy collapsed and died.
Police files indicated that George grabbed Lari and dragged him to a compound in Madoguba and hid his body there.
The boy was missing so the father searched the compound for him but couldn’t locate him.
Police files indicated that Joe allegedly helped George in transporting the boy’s body to a swamp where they buried it in the mud on March 2, between 7pm and 8pm to conceal his death.
The decomposed body of the deceased was discovered on March 5 at midday.
The men were arrested and questioned but denied the allegations. They were charged with murder.
The case was adjourned until April 16.