Drunk should not be used as defence: Magistrate

A MAGISTRATE says being drunk when committing a crime should not be used as a defence in court.
Magistrate Rebecca Kalepo was responding to police prosecutor Constable Alois Paraka Nii who suggested that a man accused of stealing be given a deterrent sentence even though he was fully sober at the time.
Magistrate Kalepo said: “Even if a person is drunk, it doesn’t give any good defence to an offence. There is no defence existing lawfully for a person to use drunkenness as an excuse.”
Kayma Wetari, 20, of Rigo in Central was in court charged with stealing a phone valued at K399 from a man at the Tabari bus stop at 4-Mile in Port Moresby.
Cnst Nii argued that Wetari was fully aware of what he was doing and should be penalised appropriately.
Wetari asked the court for leniency but Cnst Nii objected saying the offence of stealing was becoming prevalent in Port Moresby.
Cnst Nii suggested that Wetari should do community service work as part of his rehabilitation.
Magistrate Kalepo is expected to sentence Wetari today.