PNG sentences five RI fishermen to five years

 The Vanimo Court in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has ordered five Indonesian fishermen to serve a five-year prison sentence or dole out a fine of 14 thousand kinas (Rp63 million) each for various charges.

The sentence took effect as of Monday (Nov 11), Indonesian consul based in Vanimo, Abraham Lebelauw told Antara in Jayapura on Monday (Nov 18).

The five fishermen from the Papua provincial capital of Jayapura are currently held in custody in Vanimo while awaiting the result of negotiation between the court and their families on whether they will serve jail term or pay the fine.

"The Indonesian consulate in Vanimo is awaiting the result of negotiation with the families of the five fishermen caught aboard four different motorboats," he remarked, adding that all five fishermen were each sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.

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They are sentenced on three charges of illegal entry, illegal fishing, and not furnishing immigration documents, he stated.

"Apart from being detained and tried in court, their motorboats were also confiscated," he stated.

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The five fishermen were arrested separately while fishing using four motorboats in the waters of PNG, Martamba Tobing, acting consular of the Indonesian Consulate in Vanimo, the capital of Sandaun Province in PNG, stated recently.

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Four of the five fishermen were arrested on Oct 21, while the other one was apprehended on the following day, he remarked.

The five fishermen are identified as Faisal, La Toto, Jufri, Arjun, and Hamzah.

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Reporter: Evarukdijati/Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution