Student guilty of cult killing

By JULIA DAIA BORE

A STUDENT, who pleaded guilty to taking part in the bashing to death of a fellow student two years ago, told the court yesterday he thought he was initiating the deceased into his “cult group” and did not mean to kill him, The National reports.

The student asked Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika for mercy, saying he wanted to continue his schooling.

Salika slammed authorities for allowing such practices to prevail.

He described the practice of “generation system” as one of the many cases of the government’s school system “falling apart” and “going back to the dark ages”.

“There is a need for a big overhaul in our education system,” Salika told a packed Waigani courtroom yesterday morning.

He said an overhaul was needed to ensure discipline and order within schools.

“The (education) system is falling apart; schools’ boards of governors do not seem to care whether their schools have strict rules and guidelines for students to follow.”

Salika said: “There is no parental guidance of students; no parental discipline of their children in homes. The system, everything has gone (backwards) to the dark ages.”

Many students from selected schools in the NCD were brought into court to see and hear for themselves the consequences of being part of the “generation system” or the cult of paitim bros, what could go wrong and the punishment that awaits.

The judge was hearing the final submissions on sentence for a Grade 11 student in an NCD school who had, two years ago, allegedly killed a Grade 6 student, aged about 12 or 13, while trying to initiate him into the “skelim bros” cult group.

The accused student is a son of a policeman.

When asked what he wished to say, the student pleaded “guilty” to the charge of one count of manslaughter under section 302 of the Criminal Code Act.

The offence was committed on Friday, April 27, 2007, between 10am and noon at Rainbow near Gerehu.

Court documents indicated that the accused was in the company of two others when the killing occurred.

On that day, the students had all skipped classes and were drinking homebrew. Afterwards, they held the victim’s hands behind his back and took turns punching him on his chest. The victim was knocked unconscious and, later, pronounced dead at the Port Moresby General Hospital.

Prosecution lawyer Miglshi Giruakonda said cult practices were prevalent in high schools and senior high schools throughout the country.

“These psychological, demonic and satanic practices have compromised the future of our elites.

“It is time for all stakeholders to join forces and fight this evil that has taken over our schools.”

Dick Korowa Kipoi, counsel for the accused, asked for a wholly suspended sentence because the accused was sorry for his actions.

A decision on sentence is expected next Thursday.