Man ordered to pay K2,000 to girlfriend

A 22-YEAR-OLD man from Wabag, who allegedly kidnapped his 15-year-old girlfriend, has been ordered to compensate her with K2,000 and two pigs.
Tarangau village court made the decision yesterday and ordered Justin Koplei to make the payments to Rellie Jomen.
Magistrates David John, Yama Timothy, Peter Kapili, Tony Koipun, Tom Wakipe and women’s representative Deli Soti made the decision after Koplei admitted yesterday that he took his girlfriend to Kindeng and stayed in his house for two weeks.
It was alleged that on the Nov 24, the girl went into Mt Hagen to buy some goods when she came across Koplei.
Jomen told the court that when she saw Koplei at a China Town street, she called him into a shop where she was with her aunty.
She told the court that when they left her aunty inside the shop and came out, her boyfriend allegedly threatened her with a knife and took her to a bus stop, put her in a bus and went to Kindeng in Jiwaka.
She told the court that next day, she wanted to return to her uncle and aunty in Mt Hagen, but her boyfriend refused and allegedly beat her up and she stayed for two weeks with him.
The girl’s father told the court that he looked for her everywhere in the city.
Koplei’s other uncle in Porgera went to Mt Hagen, got three policemen and went to Kindeng and found the girl.
They took her and Koplei to the Mt Hagen Police Station.
The policemen then referred the matter to Tarangau village court and had the case heard yesterday.
The village court magistrates told Koplei to call them and pay his compensation in their presence whenever he was ready with the money and pigs.