Drunk student gets 6 months

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

SHOWS are not places where people can go to get drunk and do silly things, a magistrate said yesterday.

Lae District Court Magistrate Nasaling Bingtau made the comment when sentencing a Grade 8 student at Buimo Road Primary School in Lae to six months jail for drinking alcohol and behaving disorderly in a public gathering.

The court heard that at 4pm last Thursday, the 17-year-old student from Yangoru, East Sepik, was drunk and disorderly at the National Agriculture Research Institute’s (NARI) premises at 9-Mile, outside Lae.

The court heard an agriculture show was held at the NARI facility and many prominent people, including national politicians, attended.

Police said the accused staggered, bumped into show-goers and acted disorderly, prompting them to arrest him. 

Bingtau asked the accused if the allegation against him was true and he admitted it.

“You went there to disturb the show,” Bingtau said.

“Shows are not for drunkards to display themselves. People go to shows to learn new things to improve their lives,” he told the accused. “I find you guilty of the offence.” 

The student tried to plea for mercy but Bingtau told him to “shut up and sit down”.