Court fines illegal trader K5,000
The National, Wednesday October 9th, 2013
By PHILIP KEPSON
THE Wabag District Court has imposed the highest penalty of a K5,000 fine under the Enga Provincial Liquor Act on a man for transporting beer into the province without a proper trading license.
The court fined the PMV driver of a 25-seater bus, from Laiagam village in Tambul, Western Highlands, K1,000 for transporting the liquor.
Presiding magistrate Wialu Sakatao said, while convicting Sawik Kandapol, 46, from Teremanda village near Wabag town, alcohol-related problems were the major cause of lawlessness in the province and the court would not be lenient with anyone who violated the law.
He urged alcohol traders to comply with the requirements and trade at appropriate venues.
According to police reports, Kandapol hired a PMV bus last Thursday in Mt Hagen to transport beer, which he bought using a trading license that he had obtained from Port Moresby.
He was arrested at a roadblock at Yaibos police post near Wapenamanda.
Wialu said, when convicting the offender, the court would not accept people who traded liquor using trading license that had been acquired from outside of Enga.