PAPUA New Guinea (PNG) Dr Miane Asapo has paid an administrative penalty fee of $10,000 for his spouse and himself before returning to PNG on Friday 4th March 2022.
The court has acquitted Dr Asapo of his case against illegal border crossing during the lock down period when covid_19 Emergency law are enforced.
The amount was paid to Finance Department on Thursday 3rd of March and that this acquittal case has been confirmed by Attorney General John Muria.
Mr Asapo said that the penalty fees were imposed against his contravention of moving small craft as transport vessel with passengers crossing the common border from Tasman to Pelau, Ontong Java in Solomon Islands.
He expressed his gratitude to the PNG Government for providing consular assistance and facilitate his repatriation back to PNG on a PNG Government chartered flight.
Being profoundly elated, Mr Asapo thanked both PNG and SI Governments for safeguarding fundamental interests of their citizens.
He explained that he is returning home to continue serve his country in his capacity as the medical doctor in Rabaul Hospital where he resides.
The flight left on Friday 11:50am with 53 passengers on board, Asapo himself with wife and four kids, including the nine (9) PNG survivors, together with the 38 PNG Security contingents that were deployed to Honiara during the civil unrest in November 2021.
– LYNNISSHA RUNA
PNG High Commission Press
