George Steven

That prison term can be suspended if George Steven of Ali island, Aitape, West Sepik, facilitates the return of the said property at PTC housing estate at Waigani, to his former wife, Ekson Aquila.

He will also avoid custodial sentence if he repays K30,000 within 12 months from today to the man who purchased the property from him in 2000.

He is also to keep good behaviour for the next two years.

These terms were given to him in court yesterday if he wants the court to suspend that sentence of three years in prison. He has 12 months to do so.

From Ali island,  Aitape in the West Sepik Province he was found guilty by the Waigani National Court on February 10 for forging his former wife’s signature twice to sell their house without her knowledge and consent in year 2000.

Steven returned to court today for submission on sentence. He was given the opportunity to address the court on what his appropriate penalty sentence should be.

He told the court that his former wife had knowledge and consented to him facilitating the sale of the property with some of the sale proceeds given to her when he went to Rabaul.

The court found George Steven guilty of forging Ekson Aquila’s signature on two occasions on  17 May 17, 2000 and Nov 15, 2000 to sell the family house which she had taken out a loan for.

Steven forged Aquila’s signature in the notice of intension to sell the property, section 284, Lot 69, a house which she got under the PTC home ownership scheme. He did so with the intension that the documents be used as genuine evidence of title of property.

Aquila had returned home to the East New Britain province in 1998 after the couple separated.