The Bank of Papua New Guinea has confirmed that money recovered from an accused in the K6 million Maybank robbery by G4S in 2013 is safe and in the bank’s custody.
The bank confirmed the status of the cash monies through a number of affidavits produced in court on Wednesday, after an order was issued by Justice Panuel Mogish on Tuesday to have the Governor of BPNG inform the court through an affidavit of the status of the monies.
The bank through its officers did not indicate the exact figure or cash it had in custody but stated the monies are safe.
The police investigating officer involved in the case said the cash monies are kept in boxes and explained that the boxes will not be open unless it is done in the presence of police investigators involved in the armed robbery case.
An order was issued on Tuesday after an accused, Thomas Karo pleaded guilty to receiving stolen properties or K322,660 cash monies after the robbery on Oct 4,2013.
The court was told his involvement was as a ‘bush doctor’ who used witchcraft to cast spell and wash one of the vehicles used during the robbery to conceal it against Police.
He was given a substantial amount of money for his service however was found after 22 days being in possession of K322, 660.
Karo is the second accused who was charged with receiving stolen properties or stolen monies from the G4S robbery to plead guilty. The other was Ricky Antio on August 25,2015.
On August 27 last year, former NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Andy Bawa appeared before Justice Mogish to confirm with the court the location of the monies recovered from Antio.
He told the court (then) that an amount of K125, 000 as well as K480, 000 cash that was recovered during a raid at Gerehu is in the safe custody of the Bank of Papua New Guinea.
Bawa was then ordered to present before the court an exhibit (evidence) of the monies that were recovered and which Antio was in possession of.
Both men will be expected back in court on August 5 where the court’s sentence will be made known to them.