Indonesians charged with illegal fishing
By GABRIEL FITO
THREE Indonesians who were caught fishing between the waters of Aitape and Vanimo late last month have been convicted of illegal entry and fined K5,000 each by the Vanimo District Court last Tuesday.
The court also ordered that the three convicts be remanded at the Vanimo jail as they had additional charges of illegal fishing that are still pending at the District Court. The three men are Lankaito Nuboba, 45, Lasabau Bantar, 35, and Sebi Agisare, 35, all from North Sulawesi in Indonesia.
They were fishing at Ningra beach near Aitape when police and fisheries officers arrested them on March 30.
Their outrigger canoe, loaded with fishing gears and a huge catch of fish, was also confiscated and brought to Vanimo.
Provincial police commander Snr Insp Kasieng Sakawar said the three men were among a group of Indonesians who entered PNG waters on three different fishing boats.
However, when police and fisheries officers arrived, the other two boats had escaped.
The three men were brought to Vanimo and charged with one count each of illegal entry under the Migration Act and one count each for illegal fishing under the Fisheries Act.
Meanwhile, a Chinese shop manager was convicted and fined K500 yesterday for obstructing police.
Mr Sakawar said police went to his shop to look into complaints of public servants being allowed to drink alcohol inside the shop when he only had a licence to trade as a bottleshop.
He assaulted a police officer.
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