Gr 9 student accused of burning down 2 dormitories

By JIMMY KALEBE
A GRADE nine student at a high school in Morobe appeared in the Lae Committal Court yesterday charged with burning down two dormitories last Thursday.
Magistrate Pious Tapil after reading the arson charge to Sylvester Winuan, 18, from Boikin, Wewak, East Sepik, ordered a warrant of remand for him at Buimo jail and gave police three months to complete their investigations into the matter.
According to police report, Winuan and other students were allegedly drunk last Thursday at Salamaua High School in Huon Gulf when he committed the crime at the school.
Police said students were in their dormitories for the night’s devotion when some approached Winuan and his group and tried to stop them from disrupting their activity and a fight broke out.
Boys from dorms four and five retreated to their buildings and started throwing stones at those in dorms one, two and three.
The court heard that boys from dorms one, two and three chased those from dorms four and five away and then went into their dorm, gathered all their belongings and burned them in the middle of the two dorms.
Police said while this was going on, the defendant attempted to set dorm five on fire two times and on the third attempt, the building caught fire and it spread to dorm four.
Both buildings burned down.
Police were called in the next day and arrested and charged Winuan with arson.
Winuan will appear for mention on Dec 17.