Accused brewer asks court for leniency

A WOMAN charged with being in possession of homebrewed alcohol was discharged after she asked for leniency in the Lae District Court on Monday.
Serah Robert, 40, of Mugili village, Kagua-Erave, Southern Highlands, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Samuel Lavutul.
Magistrate Lavutul took into account that Robert was a first time offender, had shown remorse and pled guilty and ruled to discharge her on a release date set by the court.
Magistrate Lavutul said Robert was fined K1,000 by the court but as she could not afford to pay it he had already taken into account time spent in custody and her plea for leniency and fixed Oct 5 for her release.
The court warned Robert not to commit the offence again as the penalty would be harsher.
Robert was caught by police with four plastic bottles of homebrew at Bumbu Compound in Lae, Morobe on June 7.
On questioning Robert admitted that the alcohol had been produced at her home.
A search of Robert’s residence found home-brewing equipment including a 4.5kg gas cylinder, copper piping and other fixtures and tools used to distill alcohol.