Kidnapper’s six-year jail sentence suspended

 A MAN who admitted kidnapping the children of a company managing director five years ago has been given a suspended six-year jail term.

Justice George Manuhu told Mage Yame, from Okapa, in Eastern Highlands, that he was given a suspended sentence because he had pleaded guilty and shown remorse.

Yame admitted kidnapping the children of Leon Busken, a former managing director of Nambawan Super, on May 30, 2009, at the family home in Boroko.

The court found him guilty on seven counts of unlawful deprivation of liberty and three counts of kidnapping for ransom.

Manuhu said kidnapping for ransom carried a maximum penalty of 10 years while unlawful deprivation of liberty was three years.

Yame was arrested by police on June 9 that year at Solwara club when he was withdrawing money from an EFPTOS machine at Badili.

Manuhu said the guilty plea saved the court’s time and the children from giving evidence on the ordeal they faced.

Manuhu told Yame that it was sensible to plead guilty in court.

“You have said sorry for what you did and I have accepted your remorse,” he said.

“Fortunately, the amount taken from the ransom money was not big as the K30,000 was not accessed by you and your friends.

“This kind of offence is becoming prevalent and as I have told the lawyers earlier, the offence is serious and parliament should increase penalties for it. It is not good to steal from others and you should be ashamed for allowing this to happen.”

Yame has been placed on good behaviour bond for three years.