Former policeman, 35-year-old Komeng Gubag, guilty of a double murder in Port Moresby, is now behind bars serving his 60 years jail term after his sentence was handed down yesterday in court.
Two years ago, drunk, and off-duty, and armed with a firearm, he gunned down 50 year old Ivan Nelson and 25 year old Laki Yamo, at 6pm on 23rd of October 2021 at the Ensisi settlement.
Nelson was walking down a slope when Gubag shot him in the chest while Yamo who was at the scene was shot in the head and killed.
Following this tragic incident, police acting on a court order demolished the Ensisi Settlement displacing scores of illegal settlers squatting on the land.
After the sentencing at the National Court in Waigani, Gubag, originally from Wakon village in Madang Province, was taken away to serve out his sentence at the Bomana Correctional Facility.
According to the sentence decision, Gubag received 25 years for the murder of Nelson and 35 years for killing Yamo.
The 60 years will be served concurrently at the Bomana jail, but 2 years, 5 months and 11 days has been deducted for the time spent in custody during the trial.
In a statement, Commander Northern and Acting Commander of NCD Central, Assistant Commissioner Peter Guinness said the Internal Investigation Unit (IIU) based at Boroko Police Station had investigated this double murder case.
ACP Guinness said the IIU effectively collaborated with the prosecution team, until the sentencing.
He said this is a result of the effective networking and excellent investigative skills displayed by members of the NCD IIU who went after and arrested Gubag after the crimes were committed.
“I am deeply impressed because they pursued this matter relentlessly and ensured that conviction was secured at the National Court today (Thursday 11th April).”
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