Woman given 1 week to pay compo

THE National Court has ordered a woman to pay K2,500 within a week as compensation to another woman whom she has caused grievous bodily harm over a land dispute in Port Moresby three years ago.
Acting Judge Tracy Ganaii told Benny Komba Timothy, 42, from Puiapak village in Laiagam, Enga, yesterday at Waigani said that failure to pay that amount within a week would result in the removal of her suspended jail term and she would be jailed in Bomana prison.
Acting Judge Ganaii said compensation was a form of punishment for Timothy, who had already been penalised for failing to pay the compensation earlier and this was the second time.
In March, the court sentenced Timothy to four years with hard labour, however, that term was suspended and three months was given to Timothy to pay Pina Ambrose in compensation.
Failure to do that would result in Timothy serving out the prison term of four years with hard labour.
Acting Judge Ganaii told Timothy that she had already breached the probation orders by not paying the K2,500 within the given period.
“In the three months, you did nothing to pay K2,500 as compensation,” she said.
“I will not give much time to Timothy.
“She has to repay within one week.
“Failure to do this will see Timothy serving her jail term.”
Timothy’s lawyer Bernard Popeu told the court that the victim, Ambrose had left the National Capital District to attend to her sick father, hence, Timothy had not paid her the compensation.
Acting Judge Ganaii said there was an option which Timothy could have deposited the money through Ambrose’s trust account.
However, that was not done.
The court also noted that Timothy’s husband had said he would assist his wife to pay the compensation but that was not done.
The court gave one week to Timothy to pay the K2,500 compensation and fixed July 19 for the matter to return for review on compensation.
Timothy had a land dispute case with an Engan man named Apel Kitai who also lived in the same area at Hohola 1.
The land dispute concerned the block of land where Timothy resided.
Prior to the offence date, Timothy saw Ambrose drinking alcohol with Kitai and others.
They were singing and saying provocative words targeted towards her.