Pay K1,600 or go to jail

A LOCAL level government president in Morobe has been fined K1,600 and given 14 days to pay or face nine months’ jail for breaching traffic rules, including drink driving.
Lae District Traffic Court magistrate Issac Tjipet gave the orders yesterday to Pakung Wilong, 42, from Silemana village in Finschhafen, Morobe.
Wilong was charged with driving without due care and attention for losing control of a vehicle that went off into another lane and collided with a PMV bus on April 30.
He was also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
Magistrate Tjipet said the defendant pleaded guilty to both charges and had expressed remorse for the crimes. The court convicted him on both charges and as a first-time offender, he was given 14 days to pay the fine or spend the next nine months in jail.