Father pleads not guilty to carrying bush knife in public

A FATHER accused of carrying a bush knife in public appeared in the Lae District Court on Friday.
Freddy Michael, 42, married with 10 children, from Bettem village, in Wewak, East Sepik, appeared before Magistrate Pious Tapil.
Michael was charged with possession of an offensive weapon, namely a 40cm bush knife.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge and claimed that he was returning from his garden with the knife when police arrested him.
The court adjourned his case to Sept 2 and allowed bail of K500.
According to police report, police said they were monitoring the Second Dump at Backroad in Lae on Thursday at 1.30pm following a fight between Morobeans and Sepiks at Lae’s Bumayong and Backroad.
Police alleged that a patrol unit was at Second Dump when they spotted Michael and another person, who fled when police approached them.
Police captured Michael and allegedly found a 40cm black handled bush knife on him while the other person escaped.
Magistrate Tapil warned him of carrying an offensive weapon when there was fighting nearby.