Man asks for mercy, jailed for possession of drug

A MAN expressed remorse in the Lae District Court, asked for mercy and to take into consideration his wife and two kids as he was the sole breadwinner in the family after being found guilty of having in his possession dangerous drug (marijuana).
However, Magistrate Tera Dawai told John Ronald, 29, of Laiagam-Porgera in Enga, that even though he knew the consequences and the country’s law against dangerous drugs, he went on and engaged in its sales. “In other words you were encouraging law and order problems in the country and as a government department responsible of enforcing the law, I (the court) cannot tolerate that under any circumstances,” Dawai told him.
The magistrate said marijuana and other illicit drugs had contributed to the increase in law and order problems in the province and throughout the country but people still produced and consumed them.
“Law enforcers should not be lenient or have mercy on those found guilty on taking part in such activities so that others will know the consequence.”
Dawai jailed John for 10 months.
The court heard that on Tuesday between 3.50pm and 4pm, police received complaints about John selling marijuana cannabis at a location in Lae Top Town. Police officers on foot patrol went to the mentioned location. When John saw the officers approaching he tried to run away and in doing so he threw a brown jumper containing the drug to a police officer. He was apprehended on the spot. The police officers then searched and confiscated 13 newspaper rolls of marijuana cannabis wrapped in the jersey.
The court heard that John was not a first time offender; he was previously convicted by the same court to two months’ imprisonment for drunk and disorderly.