By PETER MIVA
A FORMER University of Technology student was sentenced to a suspended seven-year jail term by the National Court in Lae for tying up his lecturer with ropes and robbing him in his home out of frustration after failing his examinations last year.
Justice George Manuhu sentenced Aaron Siboni Exton, 20, from Yule Island, Bereina, Central province, to seven years in jail with hard labour but wholly suspended the sentence and placed him on a three-year good behaviour bond.
Exton pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery.
Justice Manuhu ordered Exton to stay away from alcohol consumption and to report to the Community-Based Corrections (CBC) office in Lae where he will be under supervision and rehabilitation.
He told Exton that his case was distinctive from all other armed robberies where there was intent to steal whereas in this case Exton acted out of anger and had not planned to steal when he committed the crime at the university campus on Dec 14, 2006.
Justice Manuhu told the court that while the crime was serious, he was taking into account the CBC report which recommended a probationary sentence for Exton.
The CBC report cited that Exton had a good character and was a first time offender.
Justice Manuhu told Exton that he was lenient on him this time but warned that he would not hesitate to impose a higher sentence if he commits another crime.
He told the court that Exton’s crime was serious because he had used violence but this was out of frustration and it was fair to rehabilitate him instead of sending him to jail.
The judge warned Exton not to break his non-custodial sentence conditions or else he would end up in jail.