7-year sentence for receiving G4S robbery money

A 36-year-old man from Yababi village, Kainantu in the Eastern Highland Province, will serve 6 years-11 months in prison for receiving stolen monies from the K5.9 million G4S robbery of 2013.

On August 25, 2015, Ricky Antio pleaded guilty before the Waigani National Court to receiving K1,500 stolen cash monies.

He was sentenced by Justice Panuel Mogish to 11 years’ imprisonment with hard labour this week.

Antio spent 11 months in remand at Bomana before he was released on National Court bail on Sept 26, 2014.

The court deducted those 11 months spent in remand from the head sentence of 11 years, leaving Antio with 10 years, one month.

Justice Mogish further ordered 3 years to be suspended from that remaining 10 years – one month jail time.

Antio will now serve 6 years-11 months in jail and will be out on 3 years’ good behaviour bond, after he is released from prison.

He was involved in the armed robbery between October 4 and Oct 17, 2013, after Paul Steven (another co-accused) asked him to help transport the cash from Gerehu to Bereina, Central Province.

He was apprehended by police on Oct 17, 2013, where K125,000 cash was discovered inside the vehicle he was driving.

Police later discovered the tin truck with cash of K458,000 at a residence in Gerehu Stage 2.

The money was part of the initial K5.9 million that was stolen on October 4, 2013, by guards of G4S Security Solution during transportation of the cash from Maybank to the Central Bank.

Only K583,000 of the K5.9 million that was stolen was recovered by police.

Antio's arrest 13 days after the armed robbery of 4 Oct, 2013, was the biggest police breakthrough in this robbery, which led to the recovered monies.

When interviewed by police on 19 Feb, 2014, Antio admitted to receiving K1,500 for his part in transporting the monies.

Author: 
Sally Pokiton