Court orders man to pay K1 compo over damage

THE Buka District Court has ordered a man to pay K1 to compensate a woman for injuring her and damaging her properties over a prolonged land dispute case on Bougainville, senior Bougainville magistrate Bruce Tasikul says.
Tasikul said yesterday that the court ruled out the woman’s claim for the man to pay her K10,000 as compensation for injuries sustained and properties damaged.
“The court had ordered that Ivan Gasi pay K1 to Fatima Kolis for assaulting her and her family with hard objects causing them injuries on Sept 11, 2017.”
Tasikul said Kolis filed a summons on Sept 20, 2017, against Gasi, Nigel Milo and Geno Gasi for a compensation of K10,000 for assaulting her and her family and damaging their properties.
“During the trial Gasi said they had assaulted Kolis because Kolis and her family did not adhere to a decision handed down by a local Lands court on Dec 22, 1991. Gasi also provided the court’s decision as evidence that the Lands court had awarded Gasi and his family the rightful customary rights on the ownership of Leitana /Hakalio land in 1991. However Kolis and her family had been denying Gasi and his family the right to the land.
Gasi said Kolis’ family had burnt down his uncle’s house in 2005 and her son was arrested and charged with arson. The son was also sentenced to jail for one year by the Buka National Court. He was also ordered to pay K120,000 and to date he has not made any payment .
Gasi said on Nov 29, 2011, the Buka District Court issued a permanent restraining order to Kolis and her family not to interfere with Gasi’s family.
However, Kolis and her family did not adhere to the court’s decision and on Oct 21, 2017, the court sentenced Kolis to six months for not complying with the order.
Kolis did not end up in jail and as a result the Gasi family retaliated.