A national court has recommended the use of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera as a vital tool in fighting armed robbery crimes.
Lae, the country’s second biggest city, has seen an increase of armed robbery cases in recent years.
The Lae National Court last week, in sentencing a former employee of the Lae International Hotel to 9 years for armed robbery, made this recommendation.
Justice Panuel Mogish said CCTV can give the best evidence of identification for the prosecution of offenders.
He said it is also timely that such security systems be installed on properties and buildings.
He said these when sentencing Jonathan Kalsup of Yuwo village, Wewak, East Sepik Province, last Wednesday to 9 years in hard labour.
3 years of that sentence were suspended due to his plea. He spent one year in pre-trial custody. He will serve a remaining 4 years and 11 months at Buimo.
Kalsup was in the company of seven others and armed with factory made guns, homemade guns and knives when they held up the hotel and took off with K66,642.85.
The robbery took place on 19 September 2016 between 9 and 10am. He was the insider in the crime.
He pleaded guilty to the offence, resulting in his case being fast-tracked by the courts.
His other accomplice are still at large and the court made strong recommendations to police to hunt them down and bring them in to be dealt with by the court.