Trafficker to serve in Bomana

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A MAN convicted for trafficking six women from Central to Chimbu and raping one of them will serve 20 years in Bomana prison, Correctional Services Commissioner Stephen Pokanis says.
He said Willie Gare, 47, from Korokoa village in Gumine, Chimbu, was sentenced on Dec 24, last year, by the Bomana National Court in Port Moresby for a total of 20 years in absentia (20 years for human trafficking and 20 years for rape to be served concurrently).
“If he is charged with absconding from the court, then he will have to go through the court processes again to secure a conviction,” Pokanis said.
He said this yesterday after the Chimbu-based Barawaghi prison commander Chief Insp John Elua told the media last Wednesday that Pokanis would determine which prison Gare would serve his sentence at.
Chimbu police commander Supt Horim Piamia told the media that Gare was detained at Barawaghi prison.
Justice Panuel Mogish, presiding in the National Court in Bomana on Nov 21, last year, convicted Gare on six counts of trafficking persons and one count of rape.
He was out on bail then and after conviction, State lawyer Solomon Kuku applied for Gare to be incarcerated at Bomana afterwards but Justice Mogish used his discretion and extended bail on the condition that he return to court on Dec 4, last year, for submissions on sentence.
Gare failed to show up and attempts by his lawyer to get in contact were not successful.
It is believed that he changed his phone numbers and went into hiding in his province. On Dec 24, Justice Mogish handed down Gare’s decision on sentence and issued a bench warrant for Gare’s arrest.
He will serve his sentence from the date of execution of the bench warrant (date captured).