7th grader jailed five years for robbery

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday 12th June 2013

 A STUDENT has been jailed for five years for armed robbery and for being in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Lae District Court magistrate Nasaling Bingtau jailed the student from Selepet villagein Kabwum, Morobe, after  describing him as a threat to the public.

The Grade 7 student was from Hicos Primary School at 2-Mile in Lae. 

Bingtau told him that he normally gave two years to people who possessed firearms but in this case, he had a gun with bullets and a robbery had been committed. 

The court heard that the student was part of a group that used two factory-made pistols and two home-made guns to rob a shop around 8.30am on May 4.

Police prosecution said the student and the gang were with Sepik Ponitu, an escapee from Buimo jail, when they committed the crime. 

“They stole laptops, mobile phones and other goods in the shop and escaped,” police said.

“They held up the staff and customers and pointed weapons at them ,threatening to shoot them.”

The group escaped in a stolen 15-seater bus and drove towards Seventh Street along Cassowary Road. 

Police caught up with them and recovered the loot and weapons.

The students’ other accomplices were jailed earlier.