Court sentences four men to 10yrs each for arson

The National National

By ROSELYN ELLISON
FOUR men from Raunsepna in the inland Baining local level government area of Gazelle in East New Britain, pleaded guilty to arson and were jailed for 10 years each on Friday.
National Court acting judge David Susame, while sentencing, said he took into account personal and general deterrence as the four – Otto Undicki, Jacob Apua, Adolf Nguan and Gabriel Sabatka – burnt down houses in an act of revenge in a tribal trouble.
It all started from a land dispute between the Raunsepna and Lamarain people.
However, the prisoners’ blameworthiness and culpability were mitigated by Lamarain people’s (rivals) arrogance and disrespectful conduct in provoking them, the judge said.
“The whole situation from the start, Lamarain people should accept some blame,” Judge Susame said.
He said he would suspend four years of the sentence if the four men complied with some conditions he had set. Among them were:

  • To liaise with the leadership in their community to hold a reconciliation ceremony within the Lamarain community at a selected venue by Nov 29;
  • pay reasonable and adequate compensation accepted by the parties to the 27 families who lost their homes and properties;
  • compensation be paid during the reconciliation ceremony;
  • ceremony to be witnessed by community-based Correctional officers, police personnel and minister fraternity.
  • prisoners be released by the Kerevat jail command under escort to witness and participate in the reconciliation ceremony; and,
  • Six years be served at Kerevat with light labour.

The prisoners were remorseful and were willing to pay compensation and help rebuild the houses that were burnt.