Driver pleads guilty to charges

A BUS driver has pleaded guilty to Road Motor Traffic Act charges in a court in Lae, Morobe, for allegedly picking up passengers at an unauthorised bus stop.
The defendant, Jack James, 25, from Mul-Baiyer in Western Highlands, appeared before Lae District Court Magistrate Isaac Tjipet and admitted to the charges.
He failed to provide a class six driver’s licence.
James did not produce a public motor vehicle (PMV) permit for operating the bus as well.
Police reports alleged that James, who resides at East Taraka, usually ran the PMV from Town to Main Market towards the miles before returning to route 3, his designated route.
He told the court that while he was on the way from East Taraka to Kamkumung market bus stop, he picked up passengers, mostly workers and students.
James told the court that he did that because he thought they would be late to reach their destination, but this was done at unauthorised stops.
He admitted that it was not his designated PMV route.
The court heard that a traffic unit from the Lae metropolitan command spotted the PMV and stopped it to question the driver.
It was found that the defendant’s PMV licence was for route 3, which was from Lae town and market bus stops to the Miles area along the Highlands Highway.
James was charged under the Road Traffic Act for one count of unregistered driving, being an unregistered PMV operator and picking up passengers on an unauthorised bus stop.
James was taken to a police station.
He he was formally charged and the PMV impounded.
James was later released on K1,200 police bail, K300 for each charge.
Magistrate Tjipet adjourned the case to next Wednesday.
The magistrate said he would hand down a sentence by then.
James’ bail was extended.