Case against Sepik man struck out

The Waigani Committal Court has struck out a case involving a man from the Yangoru area of East Sepik province after the police investigating officer failed to produce his files within a reasonable time in court.

The 46-year-old Anton Kifan Hombuhanje first appeared in court on April 10 this year. After more than three months in court, a police hand-up brief was not produced in time. It is a practise at the Committal Court for police to produce investigation files within three months. This however, is not a law.

Failure by the investigating officer to prepare investigation files saw the case thrown out by Magistrate Cosmas Bidar for want of prosecution.

The court also ordered for his bail monies of K4,000 be refunded.

He was facing charges of misappropriation, money laundering, and conspiracy to defraud the state. All these charges have been struck out.

It was alleged that Hombuhanje on June 10, 2013 with Ian Kuamani, Charles Litau and six others dishonestly applied to his own use and the use of others, or misappropriated monies in the sum of K6, 528,879.94 monies belonging to State.  

The second allegation against him claims that between April 28 and June 6, 2013 at Waigani, being concerned with the same eight people, dealt with a criminal property that he knew of.

Another allegation is between the same dates and venue, still being concerned with the same eight, he allegedly got involved in a transaction that involved money when he knew it was proceeds of crime. He was charged under section 34 of the proceeds of Crime Amendment Act.

The final allegation says that between April 28 and June 7, 2013 at Waigani, he conspired with the same eight people and fraudulently signed a service re-seller agreement to use as a basis to divert K10m intended for Telikom PNG to a Wia Rural Communications Limited.

Author: 
Sally Pokiton