Toy gun, screwdrivers land students hefty fine

By JUNIOR UKAHA
TWO students who had a toy pistol and two flat screwdrivers in their possession at the Anderson Supermarket car park in Eriku, Lae, Morobe, were each fined K2,100 by the district court.
Magistrate Nasaling Bingtau ordered Junior John, 17, and Bobby Samuel, 19, to pay the fine because of the seriousness of their actions or spend a total of 10 years in jail.
The court heard that the pair, while under the influence of liquor, was in possession of the items when police apprehended them on March 23.
They had attempted to flee when they saw a police patrol unit in their vicinity.
Bingtau asked the pair if what the police alleged in court was true.
John admitted that they were drunk but said he did not know that his friend was in possession of the screwdrivers.
Both denied knowledge of the toy pistol, saying it was not found in their possession by police.
It was discovered elsewhere and made to look as if it was theirs.
Samuel said the two screwdrivers were his and were tools he used in school.
Both claimed that they attended St Francis Technical College in West Taraka, Lae.
Bingtau rejected their stories, saying they were planning to commit a crime and had the items in their possession.
“Why did you run away when you saw the police? You ran away because you were planning to commit a crime,” he told them.
The magistrate said if the pair claimed they were students, then they should not carry such items but should be at home doing something useful.
He fined them K2,000 each for being in possession of the screwdriver and toy pistol and K100 each for loitering.
Bingtau said if they failed to pay the fine they would be sentenced to five years each in prison.