TWO MEN JAILED 30 YEARS FOR KILLING INNOCENT SCHOOLBOY IN RETALIATORY ATTACK IN 2024 GAME ONE OF STATE OF ORIGIN MATCH
By Vicky Baunke in Goroka, EHP
Two Eastern Highlands men have been convicted of wilful murder and sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment each by the National Court in Goroka for the killing of an innocent Grade 8 student during a retaliatory group attack in June 2024.
This newsroom had reported about the initial incident (Death on Game one https://emtv.com.pg/death-on-game-one/ which occurred in 2024 on June 7 during the Game one of the State of Origin match. However, in a follow-up to that report, a decision was handed on the matter on 15th April 2026 regarding the two suspects involved.
Justice Wawun-Kuvi sentenced Situ Manowa, 37, and Mark Hakipo, 32, after finding out that they shared a common intention and carried out the attack that led to the death of the young boy.
The court heard that Hakipo had earlier been assaulted by youths from Hobe Village on June 5, 2024. In response, he gathered relatives and supporters, including Manowa, armed themselves with coffee sticks and other weapons, and headed towards the village seeking retaliation.
However, along the way they encountered the deceased and three friends who were travelling to watch the State of Origin match. The court found the boys were unarmed and had no involvement in the earlier altercation.
During the confrontation, Manowa struck the victim on the head with a coffee stick, causing him to fall, before striking him again while he was on the ground. Hakipo prevented one of the victim’s friends from rendering assistance by striking him with a stick.
The victim was taken to a clinic but died from his injuries the following day.
In his sentencing decision, Justice Wawun-Kuvi described the attack as premeditated, indiscriminate and reckless, noting that the victim was an innocent boy who happened to be in the area at the wrong time.
The court rejected submissions that the offenders had shown remorse, finding neither admitted responsibility for the killing despite expressing sympathy to the victim’s family.
Justice Wawun-Kuvi said retaliatory violence was becoming increasingly common, with people choosing to take the law into their own hands rather than reporting grievances to authorities.
He noted that such actions often result in innocent people being injured or killed and stressed that the victim had a promising future that was cut short by the attack.
While the court considered the offenders’ status as first-time offenders and the destruction of their homes and property following the incident, it found the aggravating factors outweighed mitigation.
The judge said a sentence of 35 years would have been appropriate but reduced it to 30 years after taking those mitigating circumstances into account.
After deducting time already spent in custody since July 2024, both men will serve a remaining term of 28 years, three months and one week at Bihute Correctional Institution.
