Judge suspends suspect’s jail term

A COURT has suspended a four-year jail term imposed on a man who robbed a trade store along the Hiritano Highway – 24 years ago.
Mark Aputi, 52, from Kerima village in Goilala, Central, was sentenced to four years in jail by the National Court in Waigani last Thursday.
But Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika said the crime was committed 24 years ago and since then, Aputi was now wiser than prior to Nov 18, 1992.
Sir Gibbs ordered Aputi to be of good behaviour for the next 12 months and not to consume alcohol.
He told Aputi that he was now 52 and that life was too short to be involved in those kinds of activities.
Aputi was charged with robbing Kedo Tau from Kanobada village, Vanapa in Central.
The court heard that Aputi was armed with a gun and with other men held up the owner of the store.
Aputi admitted taking K60 in cash, four cans of tinned meat, cigarettes and three bottles of beer.
Aputi told the court that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
He expressed remorse and asked for leniency, saying he was a young man at the time.
He told the court that he regretted what he did at that time and promised to obey his good behaviour bond to abstain from more trouble.