A Supreme Court bench comprising three judges has upheld an earlier lower court decision that sentenced a man to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of wilful murder and convicted on May 13, 2013.
Tun Mai Isaac was sentenced for stabbing another person after a soccer match in Jahil village, near Madang town.
The deceased was taken to the Modilon Hospital, but died before arriving at the hospital.
Trial judge, David Cannings, had found that on December 9, 2012, at Jahil village, a soccer grand final was being played.
There were some disturbances after the match.
It was at that moment when Tun Mai Isaac used a knife to stab another person, Edward Nenel, before he went on to stabbing the deceased with a knife.
The deceased was trying to settle the commotion when he was stabbed.
Trial judge, David Cannings, after considering all the evidences brought before the court, sentenced Tun Mai Isaac to life imprisonment.
Isaac was not satisfied with his conviction, and had filed a supreme court appeal.
But, the supreme court bench made up of three judges: Collin Makail; Martin Ipang and Leka Nablu found that the trial Judge sentencing discretion had no faults.
Justices Collin Makail, Martin Ipang and Leka Nablu, when handing down the decision on Friday, said sport violence is a big issue in the country.
And people like Tun Mai Issac who consume homebrew only spoil the good sporting spirit.
The three Justices’ comments came a week after a clash erupted during the Digicel Cup finals between the Rabaul Gurias and the Mt Hagen Eagles in Port Moresby.
