The Senior Provincial Magistrate of Lorengau District Court has been found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without care and attention.
Magistrate Francis Kalai of Buyang village in the Tetidu LLG, Lorengau District, Manus Province was fined K100 by the court last Friday, February 17.
A short trial was conducted under the Traffic Court jurisdiction and Kalai was convicted of one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and one count of driving without due care and attention.
The court ordered a six-month suspension of Kalai’s driving licence.
A State vehicle was used in the accident which saw the vehicle extensively damage on August 31 last year. Kalai drove the vehicle off the road while under the influence of alcohol.
His wife escaped injuries however he received injuries to his jaw and head which needed medical attention and was referred to the Port Moresby General Hospital.
He was arrested by police in Manus in December last year and charged under the Motor Traffic Act after he returned to the province from receiving medical attention in Port Moresby.
Manus Acting Provincial Police Commander senior inspector David Yapu said no one is above the law and everyone is subject to one rule of law.
He commended his traffic officers for their effort to bring the case to successful conviction in court of competent jurisdiction.
(Loop PNG picture of the Lorengau Court house.)