Lae National Court

Wartovo and six others have been charged with one count each of ‘trafficking a controlled substance’ in the recent K35 million methamphetamine bust.

His reapplication was submitted by his lawyer, Counsel Moses Murray, before Judge Lawrence Kangwia on the afternoon of Friday, May 12^th.

The 39-year-old had previously applied for bail on March 31^st on three grounds: His medical condition, his business interest and family needs (sole breadwinner).

The committal court heard today that 25-year-old Paul Stony, from Henganofi in Eastern Highlands Province, allegedly abducted the three-year-old in front of her family’s store at Four-Mile on Friday, October 7th, 2022.

The toddler was with her mother and grandmother, who were selling betelnut and cold water in front of the store.

According to the police report, her mother left her with her grandmother and went to the house to get more containers of water. She returned five minutes later to find the toddler missing.

The 47 year old fathered seven children with his daughter as a result of this relationship.

The Lae National Court on Friday sentenced him to jail after he admitted to one count of incest and one count of persistent sexual abuse.

As a result of his incestuous relationship with his only biological daughter, who was then 18 years old, he fathered seven children with her between 2003 and 2017.

Having dealt with a number of homicide cases involving women in the past, the court said the practice has become widespread when sentencing a Finschhafen woman this week to 15 years in jail.

The court sentenced Mosoreng Lindong of Laleng village after she pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter.

She admitted to killing an Osemba Urah on 17 February, 2017, at Ass Mambu black block in Lae.

She spent 8 months in pre-trial custody and will serve a remaining balance of 14 years and 4 months in jail.

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.

In fact, there has been a growing number of armed robbery cases in Lae in recent years.

Most of the accused who have appeared in court have pleaded guilty to the offences and were sentenced accordingly by Justice Panuel Mogish in the months of June, July and August last year.

Last Wednesday was no different with two cases of armed robbery that went before the court.

The man was 60 years old on 26 June 2016 when he sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl in Lae, Morobe Province.

He committed the act in the kitchen of his family home.

He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual penetration at the Lae National Court and was sentenced to 10 years in hard labour.

Five years of that sentence were suspended due to his age.

He was on bail prior to being sentenced by the court. That bail was forfeited and he will now serve a remaining balance of five years in jail.