The National Court in Waigani has reserved its decision on the sentencing of four police officers from NCD, facing charges of attempted murder. The officers, Emmanuel Somom, Philemon Parom, Ade Kawa and Frank Apa appeared in court on Thursday, July 25th, for submissions on their sentences. They had been released earlier on K1, 000 bail, which was extended after Thursday’s adjournment. The State prosecutor and their defence lawyer presented their arguments, with the State asserting that the officers intended to kill the victim, the 20-year-old son of a fellow policeman, during a six-hour ordeal. Justice Panuel Mogish, presiding over the case, questioned the defence’s claims of insufficient evidence, emphasizing the severe injuries sustained by the victim, who was found unconscious in a police vehicle. During the proceedings, Justice Mogish challenged the defence lawyer's argument that the evidence presented by the state was insufficient to support the charges of grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, and deprivation of liberty against each of the accused officers. "How can you interview an unconscious person?" the judge asked, highlighting the impracticality of the defence’s claim. "It all comes down to common sense and logic," he added, emphasizing the expectation of reasonable behaviour from law enforcement officers. "Any reasonable policeman would first take an injured or unconscious victim to the hospital; then, after recovery, you can arrest and charge them," Justice Mogish remarked, highlighting the duty of care expected from law enforcement officers. The State also pointed out that the use of excessive and brutal force was corroborated by several witnesses, including police officers' wives. The incident occurred on February 27th, 2022, when the victim, Samuel Naraboi, was allegedly beaten by the four officers and later found unconscious by his mother. According to the police report, the incident unfolded on the morning of February 27th, 2022. Between 6:30 am and 7:00 am, officers Somom, Parom, Kawa, and Apa were seen at the roundabout between the Games Village Police Barracks, Tokarara, and Waigani Drive. Naraboi and his friend, William Michael, 21, were walking toward the Waigani bus stop when Naraboi approached a betelnut seller to ask if he could spare a betelnut. The seller responded with profanities, escalating the situation. It was then alleged that an off-duty policeman drove up, spoke with the betelnut seller, and subsequently started chasing Naraboi and Michael towards the roundabout. The situation further intensified when bystanders allegedly assisted the unidentified policeman in chasing Naraboi, ultimately leading to Naraboi being punched and falling on the traffic island roundabout. Later that day, Naraboi’s mother discovered him unconscious in a police-marked vehicle. The central issue remains the conduct of the police officers and their adherence to appropriate procedures, particularly the failure to seek immediate medical attention for Naraboi, with Justice Mogish’s remarks highlighting the duty of care owed by police to individuals in their custody. The court has reserved its decision, which will be delivered at a later date.