Court orders repatriation of Indonesians

THE Daru District Court has ordered the repatriation of five Indonesian fishermen to Indonesia after suspending their sentences for illegally fishing in Western, Magistrate Gami Madi says.
“The court on Wednesday suspended their sentences and placed them on good behaviour bonds and ordered them to be repatriated to Merauke in Papua Province.
“They cannot be kept here in custody because of the Covid-19 state of emergency orders,” he said.
Madi said yesterday that the court had imposed a suspended sentence of one year, seven months each to Christopher Unwar, Argus Afruan, Tata Miru and Thomas Markus for illegally fishing in PNG waters.
“The court has also imposed a suspended sentence of one year eight months on their captain Manuel Taegenan for illegally operating a vessel in PNG waters.”
The men were all sentenced for breaching the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) Act and Magistrate Madi ordered NFA to transport them to Torrasi River at the PNG-Indonesia border and leave them there.
Magistrate Madi noted that Daru prison had been closed for health reasons and the Daru police station cell was full with detainees who had breached the SOE and committed other offences.
“The Indonesians cannot remain here.
“But if they return to fish illegally, then they will be jailed here.”
Madi said that the fishermen from Merauke City were arrested by the police when they were illegally fishing near Deliverance Island.