BY MELVILLE TITIULU
The Honiara Magistrate’s Court has fined a bus driver $700 for breaching business licence conditions by operating on a short public transport route, with his bus conductor still at large under warrant yet to appear to get his sentence, the court has heard.
Silas Tuhuwa, 27, of Grashil village, Malango, Guadalcanal Province, appeared ‘voluntarily’ at the Central Magistrate Court on Tuesday this week, after he was issued a warrant of arrest for failure to appear in court on previous court dates.
The court has heard that his bus conductor, Mr Jason Paul, of Koloula village, Malango, Guadalcanal Province, is currently at large, under warrant, with the HCC officers yet to locate him and have him appear to have his plea.
Both were charged after the HCC officers spotted them engaging in illegal short bus route service on a public bus bearing registration number: B-1860.
The bus driver and the conductor, were seen transporting and dropping off passengers from the King George Bus stop to the Kukum Hot bread area, without making its complete route to the Central Market area, the court was told.
Mr Tuhuwa previously pleaded guilty on Tuesday this week for failure to comply with the business license conditions of the Honiara City Council (Regulation of business license) Ordinance 2011 when arraigned.
Magistrate Joyceth Paile in court, reminded the driver of the entrusted responsibility of providing reliable, reasonable and efficient public transport services in view of the business license conditions placed upon them, prohibiting bus short routes.
The court in forming an appropriate sentence, took into consideration amongst other factors, the fact that he voluntarily shown up to court, despite under warrant, and for being apologetic for his actions.
Magistrate Paile imposed a fined sentence of $700 to be paid to the court. In default of Payment, Mr Tuhuwa will subsequently serve 20 days imprisonment term at the Rove Correctional Centre.
In the meantime, the court has issued a directions order for the HCC enforcement team to execute the warrant of arrest for the bus conductor to appear at the court and face charges as he is yet to enter his plea.
Francis Wales who is the case manager of the HCC Prosecution office, told Island Sun previously that the HCC does not have the capacity to enforce this regulation at all bus stops.
Mr Wales advises all passengers who have been victimised of this short route service to take the Bus registration number of any bus sighted in breach of short route and in over charging of bus fare and to call landline #26342.
He added that they can either call or make a formal complaint and statement at the HCC enforcement headquarter.
Mr Harry Bisafo prosecuted the case, and he represented the HCC while the offender was self-represented in court.
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