A grade nine student from Ningrum High School in Western Province was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for drug possession by Tabubil district court a week ago.
Josh Boreng, age 19 of Lobip village of Ningrum Local Level Government area was arrested and charged by Police for having in his possession 11 packs of marijuana.
It was alleged that on Dec 7, 2016, Boreng was at the Old Wangbin Settlement adjacent to the OTML Sewerage treatment plant when he was caught by police doing foot beat patrol.
It was alleged that the student was selling marijuana at that time.
He was apprehended, arrested and charged for having in his possession dangerous drug under section one (1) of the Dangerous Drug Act and was detained at Tabubil Police Station cell.
Boreng during the Court hearing told the court that he sold the drug to meet his next year school fees.
Police prosecutor Dim Kim told the court that that’s not an excuse because it’s not lawful to do that, and he should have cultivated his land to earn money.
District court magistrate Billy Pidu told the defendant that the activity he is doing will make him become richer and the people who buy from him will become poor and also will become insane and will move aimlessly around the community.
He also told the student that the penalty impose on him will make him learn his mistake and when he finish from prison and come back, he will be afraid of doing the same thing and he will concentrate on his studies.
He also told the people in the court room that the penalty given to the people who grow and sell marijuana is bigger that the people who buy and consume it.
He said the maximum penalty of people who grow and sell any form of dangerous drug is two years.