Man pleads guilty in hire-car case

By CHRISTOPHER YOWAT
A MAN charged with obtaining goods under false pretence pleaded guilty before the Waigani National Court yesterday.
Justice Sir Gibbs Salika told Kaina Muri, from Gulf, that the court accepted his plea.
The court heard that on Aug 6, 2015, Muri met with the complainant at the Port Moresby General Hospital car park where he told the man that he was working with the National Identification (NID) project of the National Statistical Office in Port Moresby.
Muri told the man that the project needed vehicles to hire at a rate of K700 per day.
The court heard that on Aug 18, 2015, the complainant hired a vehicle and gave it to Muri to use for the National Identification project.
Instead, Muri used the vehicle for his own benefit.
The court heard that the arrangement was done without the knowledge and approval of the NSO and the PNG NID project office.
The court was told that the vehicle was used by Muri for 89 days at a cost of K62,300.
When the complainant went to the National Statistical Office to claim the money, he was told that there was no such arrangement known to them.
Lawyers representing the State told the court that Muri had full knowledge of his actions when he committed the offence.
Muri asked the court to give him a suspended sentence so that he could repay the money owed.
Justice Salika adjourned the case to Oct 2 to allow the probation service to speak with Muri before he is sentenced.
Muri is out on bail.