An unsuccessful petition by G4S guards to the management in 2012 led to the planned armed robbery in 2013 where K5.9 million was taken from Maybank, says a guard in the robbery in court today.
Casper Louise was the company banker at the time of the robbery on Oct 4, 2013. He pleaded guilty to the offense on March 7 in the National Court.
He returned to court today, May 3, 2017 to give his statement before submission can be made by his lawyer and the state on the appropriate penalty sentence the court should impose on him.
Five of his other friends earlier pleaded not guilty and a trial was conducted. They were later found guilty for their involvement on April 13.
He apologised to the court, the state, G4S, and Maybank for the robbery but said there were reasons behind him and his colleagues planning and eventually carrying out the robbery.
He told the Waigani National Court on Wednesday that the petition they gave back in 2012 covered requests for life insurance, risk allowance and body armour amongst others, following an incident in the Morobe Province where two of their colleagues died in 2011 in a Helicopter crash while on duty.
He said after the crash, they requested for these items due to the nature of their job.
He asked the court for leniency in its sentence and also asked if he can be transferred to Manus to serve his sentence because his wife and children are there.
Louise is from Salamua in the Morobe Province.
His lawyer and the State was not prepared to proceed further today with their submissions of sentence after he gave his statement in court.
His case was adjourned to May 22 where he and his other five friends (Paul Steven, Gelison William, Hubert Korede, Stewart Korina and Samson Banaso) will return for submissions on sentence.
They all remain in custody until then.
(Loop PNG picture of the G4S armoured vehicle they used in the robbery.)