Increase in students engaging in criminal activities, says prosecutor

THE instances of school children engaging in crime is rising, a police prosecutor says.
Prosecutor Sgt Vincent Suakai said this in the Lae Summary Court presided over by Magistrate Pious Tapil on Wednesday where 19-year-old primary school student Yamis Pius, of mixed Angoram, East Sepik, and Salamaua, Morobe, parentage, pleaded guilty to one count of stealing but denied a second charge of the same offence.
Pius was fined K500 after his guilty plea on the first count but will return to court for mention on Jan 10 on the other charge of stealing.
Sgt Suakai said a harsh penalty needed to be handed down by the court in order to deter others from committing the same offence.
Magistrate Tapil agreed with Sgt Suakai that the instances of students committing offences in Lae had become prevalent and said the court would work with police to curb this by handing down appropriate penalties.
“You are a student and if you go back to school, you would be a bad example to other students because of your actions,” Tapil told Pius.
Tapil told Pius that failure to pay the K500 fine would result in five months imprisonment.
He was also placed on a good behaviour bond and ordered not to drink alcohol over the period of the bond.
Police alleged that on Nov 13 Pius and three others attacked a person at the intersection between Heron St and Seagull St at Voco Point in Lae.
Pius allegedly took a waist bag belonging to the victim containing K50 and other personal items and ran into the nearby settlement.
A complaint was lodged with the police and Pius was arrested at the DCA beach front on Dec 23.