Alleged vehicle thief remanded

A MAN charged with one count of stealing a Toyota land cruiser utility valued at K182,263 was remanded at Buimo Prison by a district court in Lae on Wednesday.
Magistrate Pious Tapil told Noah Andapari, 35, from Lower Mendi’s Pins village in Southern Highlands that he will be remanded at Buimo Prison while waiting for his police files to be completed.
The court’s question if Andapari could be allowed out on bail was objected by prosecutor Sgt Vincent Suakai citing that the defendant once on bail may not attend to his court mention dates.
The court also understood that the record of interview for Andapari was not done and ordered that this be done by the arresting officer when the case returns today.
Andapari was alleged to have stolen the vehicle on April 3 and drove with two other persons to Kainantu in Eastern Highlands.
The court was told that his other accomplice is an employee of the company that the vehicle was stolen from.
The company driver was at that time making admin runs when he was held up at gunpoint along Malaita Street and the vehicle was removed from him and was driven to Kainantu that same afternoon.
The court heard that Kainantu police were alerted and sighted the vehicle at a checkpoint and gave chase.
Andapari and his accomplices abandoned the vehicle and escaped.
Police said Andapari was trying to return to Lae on a public motor vehicle when police arrested him in Kainantu.
He was taken back to Lae and was placed in police custody, charged and appeared in court.