LUTHER WENGE: "Don’t allow foreigners to play games with country’s laws"

 Don’t allow foreigners to play games with country’s laws, says Wenge

“This country is not a country for them to come and play around. PNG is an independent country and so we must not let foreigners to come and play games with our lives and laws because we cannot do that in their country,” Wenge said

By GABRIEL KATUHO, UPNG Journalism Student | The Sunday Bulletin.

MOROBE Governor Luther Wenge says foreigners must not be allowed to play games with the country’s laws.

Governor Wenge made this remark in relation to an issue of a foreigner who was caught in possession of dangerous illegal drugs in the country were again released without proper prosecution.

The issue was raised by Oro Governor, Garry Juffa during the grievances debate in parliament last Friday.

Governor Juffa said according to the recent newspaper publication, a particular foreigner was brought before the district court for having in his possession of a huge amount of hard drug called Entatimints.

“This much of drug if found on a person in other countries, would have been given a severe sentencing. Asian countries for instance, where this type of offence would attract the death penalty or serious jail time and then deportation, blacklisting of that person so he or she do not enter the country again. However, for our case, the foreigner’s sentencing was suspended, he was fined and later released,” Juffa said.

Governor Juffa therefore urged the Internal Security Minister and Justice Minister to look into the matter as a matter of urgency.

Governor Wenge in support of Juffa’s concern expressed that ‘this is a serious offence because when those drugs are distributed and consumed, lives of the citizens of this country can be in danger”.

“This country is not a country for them to come and play around. PNG is an independent country and so we must not let foreigners to come and play games with our lives and laws because we cannot do that in their country,” Wenge said.

The Governor wants the case of that individual (foreigner) who was caught being in possession of a hard drug be appealed.

He suggested that the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor offices need to work together and exercise powers under the prosecutor’s act of the constitution to appeal.

The Governor also recommends to the Attorney General saying “if the law is very lenient to them, then that law needs to be polished it up through the parliament.