A Police officer has appeared at the Boroko District Court in connection to the K1.2 million Airport heist of Nov 3, 2016.
Steven Numbos went before Magistrate Alex Kalandi on Wednesday with his lawyer, however his case was adjourned to next week because his lawyer sought an adjournment for him to be arraigned then.
Arrested on Dec 30 ,2016, the 44-year-old from Kragur village, Wewak, East Sepik Province is facing two charges. He was charged for being in possession of ammunition without license and possession of a pistol without license. This same pistol was allegedly used in the K1.2 million robbery at the Tropic Air Terminal on Nov 3, 2016.
In Oct 2015, the defendant (Numbos) allegedly arrested a Philip Marshall and had him charged with seven charges under the Firearms Act. The matter went before the Boroko District Court and was dismissed on Nov 26, 2015. A court order dated the same day was issued to the defendant, who was the informant at the time to return all the exhibits to the clerk of court for the court to administer its return to the owner.
However, police alleged the defendant defied that order and gave that exhibit pistol to a police reservist, Teteme Jonah who later gave the pistol to an Alphonse (Ali) of Tokarara on Nov 2, 2016. This same pistol was allegedly used in the K1.2 million robbery at the Tropic Air Terminal on Nov 3, 2016.
Investigations led to the apprehension of the police reservist (Jonah) which then allegedly led the investigation team to the defendant’s house.
Jonah has been arrested and charged with one count of Armed Robbery under the Criminal Code Act.
Numbos is also facing willful murder charges under the Criminal Code Act at the Committal Court. He remains in custody.