Man sentenced to eight years in prison for marijuana possession

A man was sentenced to eight years in prison and hard labor after pleading guilty to possessing more than a hundred rolls of marijuana.

Ambrose Eme, an adult male from Garaina village in Wau-Waria district, pleaded guilty twice, first before another magistrate and again before Magistrate Paul Puri Nii of the Waigani District Court.

Magistrate Nii said it was a noble step by Mr Eme, who pleaded guilty twice to show he was submitting to the law of this nation. However, Mr Nii said such crime was widespread in society and therefore deserved severe punishment.

He sentenced Mr. Eme to 20 years in prison, half the maximum sentence provided by law.

He then deducted 12 years after taking into account mitigating circumstances, Mr Eme's allocutus or statement of remorse and apology to the court and time spent in custody before sentencing.

Mr. Eme would spend the 8 years at the Bomana Correctional Institute in forced labor.

He was found by the police in Konedobu, National Capital District, on May 20, 2023, with 92 rolls of marijuana in K5 packet and 87 rolls of marijuana in K1 packet on him.

The rolls were wrapped in aluminum foil. This contravenes section 3(1)(d) of the Dangerous Drugs Act.