Judge shames father of 4

By ZEDAIAH KANAU
A BOMANA National Court judge on Thursday jailed a man eight years with hard labour for his part in an armed robbery of a family and told him that he was an irresponsible father who was living off his grandfather.
Michael Wai, 35, of Buli Era village in Gumine, Chimbu, and a father-of-four, was described by Justice Panuel Mogish as a liability living off his grandfather’s earnings.
“You are an irresponsible and foolish father,” Justice Mogish told Wai.
“Up to the committing of the offences, you were unemployed and virtually living off the earning of your grandfather.
“You were oblivious to his support when you committed this offence.
“You should seriously think about venturing into some business to shoulder the burden of providing for your family instead of being a liability to those around you.
“Today, we see many mothers and fathers selling things in markets to make ends meet.
“They were once unemployed like you but, through their hard work, they have made positive changes in their families.
“If they can do it, there is no reason why you cannot do the same.”
Wai pleaded guilty to aggravated armed robbery of a family at Adventure Park, 14-Mile, outside Port Moresby last Dec 1.
Justice Mogish said a person who pleaded guilty was entitled to leniency.
He sentenced Wai to eight years’ jail with hard labour.
He suspended two years and placed Wai on a good behaviour bond for that period.
Justice Mogish deducted one year, two weeks and three days for Wai’s time in custody.
Wai will serve 4 years 11 months, one week and four days at Bomana prison.
Last Dec 1, between 10am and 11am, Wai was with two other persons in a hired vehicle at 14-Mile.
He was the driver.
They parked next to the victim’s vehicle, a Honda CRV station wagon.
They held up the victim and his family at gunpoint and stole their vehicle.
His accomplice sped off in the stolen vehicle while he followed in the hired vehicle.
At the Bomana turn-off, both drivers lost control of their vehicles and crashed.
Wai was captured by the public at the scene of the crash and handed over to police.