The National Mon 12th April
Pilot fined K37,000 after admitting to offences
April 12, 2021The NationalMain StoriesBy BOURA GORUKILA
AUSTRALIAN pilot David John Cutmore was fined a total of K37,000 by the Central Court on Friday after he admitted to entering Papua New Guinea illegally and without proper aviation documents.
Magistrate Alex Kalandi fined Cutmore, 52, K30,000 for a charge under section 278 (1) (a) and K7,000 for a second charge under section 280 (a) of the Civil Aviation Act (CAA).
Magistrate Kalandi said a custodial sentence was inappropriate and sentenced Cutmore based on aggravating factors that:
- CUTMORE disrespected the laws of PNG;
- DRUGS transported illegally were of high monetary value;
- HE landed on a de-commissioned airstrip; and,
- NATURE of offences.
“PNG is a sovereign nation and, thus, not appropriate for a person of another sovereign nation to disrespect and undermine the laws of PNG to evade its statutory and conduct business at will,” Magistrate Kalandi said.
“The act performed does not only breach the CAA but breached the sovereignty of PNG.
“Therefore, Cutmore has to pay the court fines in full in order to be discharged.”
He said in the event Cutmore did not have the money to pay the fines, there had to be sufficient evidence to establish that he was not in the position to pay the K37,000.
An alternative would be sought in court when the two months lapsed.