The National Court today acquitted a murder charge and amended it to manslaughter, for a man from Central province.
The court found that Russel Yahena, the accused, did not intend to kill the deceased in 2011 at 8 Mile settlement outside Port Moresby.
According to state evidence, a fight broke out between the accused and his wife, and the deceased intervened to stop the fight when Yahena hit him with a table to his head that killed the man.
Yahena is still behind bars at Bomana Prison, and is awaiting his sentencing.
The court heard that Yahena was drunk at the time of the incident. He came home and found out that the family cat ate his dinner. He got mad and fought his wife, when the deceased intervened and was killed.