Expat in court for obstruction

By HEZRON KISING
THE Lae Committal Court has ordered a Chinese man to pay a K1,500 court fine or face two months in jail for obstructing government officers from checking his passport.
Chen Jianren, 31, from Fujian province, China, appeared before Senior Magistrate Pious Tapil on Wednesday after he was charged with obstruction under section 16 (1) (f) of the PNG Citizenship and Immigration Act.
Tapil ordered Jianren to pay an initial fine of K1,500 with the receipt presented to court clerk before close of business the same day.
Jianren paid the fine and showed his receipt to the court registry that afternoon.
His bail money of K1,000 was forfeited to the court after he failed to turn up for one of his court hearings. He was then re-arrested and paid another K500 bail for the same charge.
The second bail amount (K500) was converted to a court fine leaving the defendant only K1,000 which was paid on Wednesday.
Jianren’s lawyer submitted to the court for consideration of the mitigating factors including an admittance to the charge and an early plea, the fact that the defendant was a first time offender and a law-abiding member of the community.
Jianren’s lawyer said while the offence carried a maximum penalty of K5,000 or a jail term of six months he asked for a lower fine.
The total fines paid by Jianren was K2,500 which included the K1,000 forfeited early for non-appearance in court.
Police prosecutor Sgt Vincent Suakai asked the court for the maximum penalty to be imposed to act as a deterrent.