Jailed for breaching SOE orders

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
TWO Bougainville policemen were each jailed for a year for crossing the PNG-Solomon Island maritime border despite the state of emergency (SOE) restrictions.
They said they had crossed to provide food for starving relatives in the Solomon Islands, a Bougainville District Court official said.
However, due to no proper prison facilities in Bougainville, the court ordered them to pay K1,000 each within two months for defying SOE orders.
They would go to jail if they failed.
“The Buin District Court has sentenced First Const John Kaliope, from Ipirai village, Buin, Bougainville, and First Const Philip Anis, from Buin, on Friday for breaching the Covid-19 state of emergency orders by crossing the border last week,” the official said.
“They had crossed the border (five nautical miles apart) on a dinghy with eight (20kg) rice bales for relatives on Kamaliaih Island in the Shortland group of islands.
“However, due to no proper prison facility in Bougainville, the court has ordered them to pay K1,000 each in two months.
“If they don’t pay up the fine within that time, then they will have to go to jail.”
The court official said the policemen received the highest penalty for breaching the SOE orders.
“They are traditional border crossers, but they did not get permission from the Bougainville SOE controller Deputy Commissioner of Police Francis Tokura.
“So such harsh penalties is to discourage other people from crossing the border,” the official said.
“The Covid-19 is spreading globally and international border areas are the main entry point for the virus.
“When people move, the Covid-19 also moves with the people.
“So the ban on border-crossing, although harsh, is to prevent the spread of the Covid-19.
“The restriction is stopping the Shortland Islanders from coming to Buin on Bougainville to sell their marine products and buy store goods.”