Soldiers on wilful murder charges await court date

By BOURA GORUKILA
TWO soldiers each facing a charge of wilful murder over the death of a senior police officer three weeks ago are to appear in court again on June 25.
Sgt Supa James, 48, of Noure in Chuave, Chimbu, and Lt Richard Ule, 31, of Dirima in Gumine, Chimbu, appeared before Waigani Committal Court Magistrate Tracy Ganaii on May 13. They were remanded at the Bomana prison.
The two were charged in relation to the attack on Snr Insp Andrew Tovere on May 9, who later died in hospital.
Police prosecutor Sgt Joseph Sangam told The National that the two would appear in court for mention next month.
The funeral service for the late police officer was held in Port Moresby yesterday at the Reverend Sione Kami Memorial Church.
He will be buried at his village in Gulf later this week.
According to documents filed in court, James and a fellow soldier Ray Kae were confronted by a policeman at the ATS Settlement between 2am and 3am on May 9, while returning from buying beer from a nearby settlement.
A liquor ban was in force at the time. Tovere intervened when a confrontation ensued and told the two soldiers to come back in the morning when they were sober to sort the matter out.
The two soldiers left but later returned with Ule who then allegedly hit Tovere with a piece of wood.
He later collapsed and was taken to hospital.
Tovere died that afternoon.