Soldier fined for swearing

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

A SOLDIER who swore at another soldier’s wife was yesterday fined K100 by the Lae District Court.

He was also ordered to resolve his own marriage problems.

Kirby Lai, a soldier with the PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) engineering battalion at Igam barracks in Lae, Morobe, was fined by magistrate Nasaling Bingtau for swearing.

The court heard that Lai’s wife had left their home following a “marriage problem” and was living with the family of another soldier at the barracks.

This had angered Lai, from Lelefiru, Gulf, who got drunk on June 29 and went to the home of the complainant, Emily Pinor, and swore at her.

The accused admitted the offence but said he had sworn because he was frustrated that the complainant was keeping his wife away from him.

He said the standing orders of the barracks were that a soldier’s wife should not go and sleep in another soldier’s house. 

Police said Lai had used many incriminating words against the complainant. 

Pinor reported the matter to police and they charged Lai under Section 7(b) of the Summary Offences Act.

Bingtau converted Lai’s K100 bail into court fine and instructed him to resolve his problem with his wife.

“Go back and solve the problem with your wife before it touches on other people,” he told Lai.