Three PNG police jailed for murder of boy

PORT MORESBY - Three policemen in Papua New Guinea have each been sentenced to 25 years in jail with hard labour for the murder of a 16-year-old boy in 2001.

Sergeant John Winamba and Constables Paul Gabi and Blassius Bana were jailed by Justice Moses Jalina in the National Court in Wewak, East Sepik Province, PNG's The National newspaper reported today.

The court found the officers had wrongfully picked up Kennedy Balamus during a commotion and had beaten him on the head with a stick as well as kicked and punched him before locking him in a police cell at Wewak.

The bleeding boy was not allowed medical help and later died from head injuries after spending the night in the cell, the newspaper said.

His uncle, Paul Balamus, said it took the family four years to bring the officers before the courts but he was grateful justice had been done.

Meanwhile, the National Court in Mt Hagen in Western Highlands Province is considering sentences for another three policemen found guilty of killing a 12-year-old boy and torching his house in September 2003.

The State Prosecutor last week recommended the death penalty for the three who were found guilty of shooting Albert Garry then throwing him back in the house and setting it alight in the Anglimp/South Wahgi district.

Their lawyer, however, said the accused - Sergeant Patrick Towingo and Constables Benson Gambagoli and Jeffrey Negma - were first-time offenders who had not meant to kill the boy but had hit him after firing at random at the house.

They are due to be sentenced on July 11.

- AAP