Teenager jailed for 4 years and told to pay K5000

A 19-YEAR-old male in East New Britain was ordered by the Kokopo National Court yesterday to pay a compensation of K5000 to a man whom he caused grievous bodily harm to.
Acting judge David Susame gave special consideration to the youth of mixed parentage — Enga and West New Britain — and sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment under the Juvenile Act.
The court heard that the offender was unhappy with his aunt’s partner (complainant) and after he found them together in their home, he swung a bush knife at the complainant, causing serious injury to his forearm.
“This is a serious life-threatening case. “Someone almost lost his life but by the grace of God he survived only to lose his right forearm,” Justice Susame said.
The use of bush knives and other offensive weapons in resolving disputes or conflicts without formal legal or customary mediation forums is prevalent and a norm in our present time.
Justice Susame said lives were lost, victims were left with serious permanent injuries for the rest of their lives and there were no longer respect and value for human life.
He told the offender that although he was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment with light labour at the Red Shield Juvenile Centre in Sogeri, NCD, he would not be separated from his family to serve his sentence there.
Susame ordered that he be restrained from drinking, be on good behaviour in the community to compensate the complainant K5000 within a year, arrange a reconciliation ceremony with the complainant and engage in community service
work at the Kambubu Secondary School.