Man jailed for 11 years for armed robbery

By JIMMY KALEBE
A MAN has been sentenced to 11 years in jail for armed robbery.
He had asked the court for leniency because of a permanent injury to his leg sustained during the offence.
Justice Panuel Mogish told Ashley Kuchne, of Gurungko village in Finchhafen, Morobe that he should blame himself for the injury. He however ordered that he serve on six years, 11 months and 3 weeks of the sentence after taking into account the time spent in custody and his cooperation with court proceedings.
The National Court in Lae was told that on Oct 14 last year, Kuchne and three others at Salamanda Avenue stole a mobile phone and a vehicle valued at K82,000.
Justice Mogish said violence was involved and the offence was committed with the use of guns.
“The offence was committed at the family residence with their lives put at very high risk,” Mogish said.
Kuchne expressed remorse and asked the court to take into account the permanent injury on his leg.
Mogish told Kuchne that the injury was the consequence of his action and he should blame himself for it.
Meanwhile his three accomplices, Emere Daniel, of Kingsta village in Chimbu, Ezekiel Ruben, of Sairope village in Northern, and Abel Manu Nase, of Yababi village in Eastern Highlands, were sentenced to jail terms between five and six years.