Australian found guilty of fraud

 By GABRIEL LAHOC

AN Australian citizen, who three years ago walked in and cashed a false K957,370 cheque at the Lae ANZ bank, was found guilty of two out of three counts by National Court judge Justice Sao Gabi last Friday.

Peter Ralph Mayoh, proprietor of Powa Constrution Ltd, was initially charged for uttering a false document, money laundering and possession of property suspected of being proceeds of crime.

But Justice Gabi, who will deliver the sentencing later this month, found Mayoh guilty of count one and two which stated that he knew the cheque was false at the time he deposited it on April 9, 2010 and he again knowingly withdrew K707,000 in cash on April 20, 2010.   

The case summary document showed that on April 9, 2010, Mayoh deposited a false cheque drawn from an Australian company, Vetco Aibel (PNG) Ltd into his company, Powa Construction Ltd, and 11 days later withdrew K707,000.

The cheque numbered 1972 was never issued by the Australian company.

Two days later, from the K200,000 remaining in the Powa Construction account, Mayoh transferred K120,000 to a newly-opened term deposit account, K20,000 to a BSP account and K10,000 to his ANZ account.

Eight days later, Mayoh returned and withdrew K40,000 from the company account and K35,000 from his personal account. 

When queried by a bank teller, he said he was buying and selling gold.