Robbery lends man in jail for 11 years

A man was jailed for 11 years last Friday for armed robbery of the BNBM Home Centre in Lae in May.
Paul Robert, from Yakop village in Kabwum, Morobe, and in the company of others, held up BNBM hardware employees and their manager and stole K8836.80 in cash and some white goods valued at K39,088.
Documents presented in court stated that Robert and his accomplices stole cash and goods amounting to K47,924.80 and escaped in a getaway vehicle but were apprehended by police at Kapiak Street.
Robert told National Court judge Justice Panuel Mogish that search for school fees drove him to the crime.
Mogish told him that it was better to find an easier life back in the village rather than coming into towns and cities and engaging in such activities that one day may cost him his life.
He told Robert that an educated person like him to get involved in such crime was unbecoming of him and just a waste of education.
Three years of the jail term at Buimo would be suspended during which time he would on a good behaviour bond and a further six months was deducted for the time he spent in custody.
In another armed robbery case, Melton Leimbamak, of Kuimbu village in Maprik, East Sepik, was jailed for nine years but three years at the end would be suspended during which time he would be on a good behaviour bond. A further year, 11 months and one week would be deducted for the time he spent in custody, meaning that he would be serving four years and three weeks in prison.
Court documents stated that Leimbamak was with six others on Sept 2015 when they held-up Hausman Hardware in Lae and stole K40,000 in cash and other items.