Woman convicted for wearing police uniform

By JIMMY KALEBE
A 26-YEAR-OLD women who was convicted by the Lae District Court for wearing a police uniform while not being a member of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary was placed on a three-month good behaviour bond.
Lae District Court Magistrate Tera Dawai in giving his decision on sentence to Magrette Andrew, of Avi village, Kewa, Hela, told her that she should not have worn the uniform in the first place.
Magistrate Dawai cautioned Andrew that while serving her non-custodial sentence, she could not engage in any unlawful acts that would breach her current sentence.
The defendant’s action contravened to Section 138 (a) of the Police Force Act (1998).
“Those who should have the uniforms in their possession are policemen and women only,” Magistrate Dawai said.
He said police personnel needed to take better care of their uniforms and not allow others to wear them.
Andrew said she got the uniform (a new dark blue six-pocket long trousers) from a friend whom she had stayed with and thought it was just a regular piece of clothing.
Police alleged that last Thursday, Andrew was on a bus bound for 4-Mile from Eriku in Lae when she was seen by a police officer.
The officer stopped the bus and asked Andrew to go to the police station with him to be interviewed.