BY ROMINAH FAKA

Five people have been fined by the magistrate court in a case from October last year.

Four of these people for consuming liquor in public and the fifth for having in possession a weapon.

Simon Bosokuru was fined $430 for possessing a weapon in public, which he was ordered to pay by February 4 or serve 20 days in prison.

Rayton Buga, Kalisto Hasi, Peterson Turu and Junior Sam were fined $300 each, to be paid by February 4 or spend 20 days in prison.

The sentence was delivered on January 29, 2025 by Principal Magistrate Emily Z Vagibule Pakoa following a guilty plea by all five people.

The maximum penalty consuming liquor in public is 2,000 penalty units.

Court highlighted mitigating factors for Bosokuru include his guilty plea, first time offender, his attendance in all the past hearing for this case and his personal circumstances.

For the other four men, court took into account their guilty plea, their clean records, faithfulness in attending court hearing of their cases as well as their youthfulness.

In delivering the sentence, court highlight that when they under the influence of alcohol is a breeding ground for arguments that are likely to lead to fights, hence with the availability of weapon such as those discovered under the possessions of Bosokuru, there is a high chance of any of the weapons to be used, thereby posing a threat to lives of people present there at the time.

Court heard on October 27, 2024 the five men took shelter in front of the Solrite shop at Kukum Market area.

The men appeared drunk and a search was carried out in which the weapon was found on Bosokuru.

Wesley Faita’a acted for all defendants and Moffat Tei was the prosecutor.

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