Two brothers have been committed to stand trial at the National Court for allegedly forging Customs import clearance documents this year.
The Waigani Committal Court today (Nov 17) ruled there was sufficient evidence to warrant the committal of brothers Walo and Vui Matapere to the National Court.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar made the ruling, saying the forging of Customs clearance documents was becoming prevalent as more and more local companies were now involved in the business of importing goods.
He said that previously it was a business foreign companies were involved in.
Bidar said it is when the goods arrive on land and at the wharfs that the problem of forging documents starts.
From Hula in the Central Province, the brothers are alleged to have forged a custom import clearance document and knowingly uttered a false counterfeit seal on the custom import clearance (uttered is defined as showing a forged document to someone with the intent to defraud).
“One who sees it will believe it’s a genuine document,” Bidar added.
This allegedly took place on April 15 this year in Port Moresby.
They were charged with forgery under section 462 and fraudulently uttering under section 460 respectively of the Criminal Code Act of Papua New Guinea.
The brothers on their ruling chose to remain silent and reserved any statements for the National Court.
They will be expected to appear next at the National Court on December 14.
They remain on an extended bail of K2, 000 each.