In what can only be described as the most pathetic example of PNG Justice..... the druggie pilot is free to go
Posted By Staff Reporter :
www.pngfacts.com10/4/2021
Australian pilot David John Cutmore has been ordered to pay a K37, 000 court fine for breaching PNG's laws under the PNG Civil Aviation Act.
The Central Grade 5 District Court ordered the court fine against the 52-year old this afternoon, (Friday 8th of April, 2021).
Mr. Cutmore was charged with a count of dangerous activity involving an aircraft, and the other count is for acting without necessary aviation documents.
He's alleged to have crash-landed a CESNA twin engine aircraft, while attempting to take off with more than 600 kilograms of cocaine bound for Australia, from a remote airstrip near Lealea Village, Central Province, last year.
Cutmore pleaded guilty to both charges.
The court found that custodial sentence is not appropriate, and that a court fine is appropriate in this matter.
For the first charge under Section 278, Cutmore was ordered to pay a court fine of K30, 000, while for the second charge under Section 280, he was ordered to pay a court fine of K7,000.
Magistrate Alex Kalandi ruled that he will pay a total court fine of K37,000 within a period of 2 months from the day of this order.
The charge under Section 278 (1) (a) of the PNG Civil Act carries a maximum penalty of a monetary fine of K50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, while the charge under Section 280 carries a maximum penalty of a monetary fine of K10, 000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months.
NBC News / PNGfacts