Men ordered to pay students compo

 THE Kokopo district court last Friday fined 27 men K500 each after they injured three students at Palmalmal High School and damaged school property.

The 27 men were from Totongpal village in Pomio district.

Magistrate Samuel Lavutul jailed the men for 12 months but suspended the sentences and placed them on a two-year good behaviour bond.

Lavutul ordered that the 27 men pay K500 each as compensation. The three students will receive K1,000 each from this amount with K4,500 to be paid to the Palmalmal High School.

Lavutul also ordered the men to give three pigs – one to the school, one for the students and one for relatives of the three injured students from Wide Bay and Mamusi.

Classes at Palmalmal were disrupted last month after the 27 men, who were relatives of a student suspended for damaging a power point, confronted teachers and students at the school.

As a result the three male students sustained injuries.

Acting provincial police commander Snr Insp David Yapu said two of the men were charged with wounding three male students.

The rest were charged with unlawfully entering the school premises and damaging property.

Pomio district administrator Peter Peniat will facilitate the reconciliation process to restore peace among the community and school administration.