Waigani Committal Court

Raga was in court over allegations of abuse of office since his arrest in August last year.

He was on bail of K5,000.

Police alleged Raga abused his office when he refused to pay K4.7 million to a company called Rumbam Engineering Limited for road works along the LNG impact villages of Boera, Papa, Lealea and Porebada.

Waigani Committal Court Magistrate, Cosmas Bidar, last week dismissed Raga’s case after his lawyer put to court that there was no case to answer to.

Frank Haka from Mei village in the Gulf province appeared on Tuesday at the Waigani Committal court for his case.

The Area sales manager was arrested and charged with stealing from his employer on December 16 last year.

He allegedly conspired with an officer from the Express Freight Management last year to steal 10 pallets of flour that day, an order that was meant for P&B Chung.

The prisoner who broke out from Buimo prison in Lae while serving a 9 year sentence found himself in court again, this time in Port Moresby, for armed robbery allegations.

Andrew Jawa was arrested and charged for armed robbery and unlawful use of motor vehicle, with two others, over a robbery incident that took place at Koki Salvation Army office in April last year.

While in custody, police and Correctional Service realized he was an escapee from Buimo, and slapped him with an additional charge of escaping lawful custody.

A senior magistrate at the Waigani Committal Court, Cosmas Bidar raised the concern when arraigning a 20 year old youth who was recently arrested over the persistent sexual assault of a 6 year-old.

He said something is wrong in society and cases of such nature are becoming prevalent and the courts are seeing them every day.

He made this comments after reading the charges against a youth from Mul Buyer area in the Western Highlands Province.

East New Britain man Russel Pupua and East Sepik man Johannes Kuinduo briefly went before magistrate John Kaumi today where their charges were read and explained to them in court.

Both were previously employed as BSP support officers when they allegedly conspired to steal a total of K16,500 on two different occasions.

The first occasion was on January 19 at the Boroko ATM where K11,500 was allegedly stolen. The second occasion was on February 2, at one of the Vision City ATMs, where K5000 was allegedly stolen.

Magistrate Cosmas Bidar yesterday morning ruled there was enough evidence in the case against Jeffery Sheekiot of Madang Province to commit his case to the National Court.

But before his case can be committed, Magistrate Bidar allowed his lawyer to address the court on it finding sufficient evidence against him.

He will return to court on July 19 where his lawyer will make submission on section 96 statement.

He was arrested on July 28, 2016, in Port Moresby and charged with wilful murder.

Schneider Bishop of Biwat area, Angoram, East Sepik Province, returned to the Waigani Committal Court today where a ruling was made in the case against him.

Himself and four others, Solomon Gonol, Paul Michael, John Sabol 'Ala' and Jack Joe Hora, were arrested and charged over the armed robbery, which took place between 11.30am and 12midday at Harbour City at Konedobu on May 18, 2016.

It is alleged the five, armed with factory made pistols, held up the staff and customers of Daikoku restaurant and stole cash and items valued at K2,752.

The Waigani Committal Court on Tuesday dismissed a case involving a man from the Madang province who allegedly sexually touched a minor while he was under the influence of alcohol.

His identity is withheld due to the age of the victim.

The alleged incident took place at a street market where the man met the four year old girl and her uncle at Hohola in Port Moresby on the evening of August 6 last year.

If the record of interview is not done by police and no files served before March 29, the Waigani Committal Court will strike out the case.

This was the direction of Magistrate Mekeo Gauli on Wednesday when the case of Alex Una returned before him for mention.

Alex Una, 38-years-old, from Gogoi village, Rigo, Central Province first appeared in court on December 7, 2016.  He was formally charged on Dec 1, 2016, with armed robbery.

Three months and one week later, the record of interview is still yet to be conducted by police.

His case was listed for ruling on Tuesday morning before Magistrate John Kaumi however, it was adjourned to Thursday.

This comes after the 53-year-old from Suapri village, Maprik District in the East Sepik Province, was arrested in Port Moresby on Sept 13, 2016, and charged with four charges under the Criminal Code.

He was charged with two counts of misappropriation of properties, two counts of abuse of office, one count of stealing by false pretense and one count of conspiracy to defraud.