A 20 year-old male student who was charged with being in possession of an offensive weapon and live ammunition was fined K500 by the Lae District Court on Wednesday.
Magistrate Isaac Tjipet imposed the fine after noting a letter from a school principal confirming that Brian Binango of Busama village in Huon Gulf, Morobe, was a student of a secondary school in Lae.
Police prosecutor Maureen Pohei called three police witnesses to give statements after the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge at his first appearance on Aug 22.
Only one of the witnesses came to court.
After hearing the witness’ statement, the court adjourned the case to Sept 26 for the other two witnesses to give their statements.
The court considered that Binango was a grade 10 student and had been in police custody for two months and fined him K500.
Tjipet cautioned Binango not to be involved in any illicit behavior, to report to the prosecutor every two weeks and observe a six-to-six curfew.
Binango is alleged to have been detained with other people at Highlands bus stop in Lae, Morobe, on July 15.
The police hand-up brief stated that Binango and other passengers were in an overloaded vehicle belonging to a candidate contesting the Huon Gulf open.
Police conducted a search of passengers and found a bag containing a home-made staple gun and ammunition which allegedly belonged to Binango.