Two years for dangerous driving causing death

A MAN has been jailed for two years with hard labour for dangerous driving causing the death of a policewoman along the Poreporena Freeway in Port Moresby.
Damien Koiaie, 42, from Piespi village in Ialibu, Southern Highlands, ran into Loraine Bufkunim when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving on Oct 12, 2017.
Magistrate Mekeo Gauli had sentenced Koiaie at the Waigani District Court last week.
“He will serve the first year at Bomana prison,” Gauli said, when sentencing him.
“After serving the first year, he will be released to spend the second year on a good behaviour bond.
He will also be banned for driving a vehicle for 12 months starting on the date he has completed his good behaviour bond.”
According to police report, Koiaie was driving a Mitsubishi Canter “very fast from the slope of the tunnel towards Courts roundabout at about 2.30pm.
“When reaching the Varahe Street junction, a taxi pulled out too close to where he was driving towards.
“Koiaie was driving so fast that he could not slow down despite applying the brakes.
“Therefore, he turned right towards a concrete flower pot on the traffic island with an intention to hit the flower pot to slow down his vehicle.
“However, the late Bufkunim and another police officer, Samson Patem, were also on the traffic Island and Koiaie ran into them.
“Bufkunim and Patem were rushed to the Port Moresby General Hospital where Bufkunim was declared dead.
Patem was admitted with injuries which he was treated for and discharged later.