Baker’s charge, warrant lifted

By BARBARA DERUAGE
A court has cancelled a warrant of arrest and thrown out the charge against wanted criminal Tommy Baker, pictured, issued a year ago, because police are yet to arrest him.
Waigani Committal Court Magistrate Marcus Nandape described it as a waste of the court’s time.
The arrest warrant was issued on Oct 11 last year after Baker escaped from the custody of prison officers who had escorted him to the Port Moresby General Hospital where he was to receive treatment on Oct 5.
Magistrate Nandape said a year had passed but no arrest had been made.
Baker first appeared before the Waigani court before Nandape on Aug 16 last year on a charge of armed robbery.
On top of crimes he alleged committed with his gang members, he was also charged with armed robbery.
It is alleged that at around 10pm on Feb 23 last year, Baker and 10 men armed with dangerous weapons held up employees of a shop at Kupiano, Abau in Central.
They allegedly took K96,000 in cash, goods, two 200-litre drums of fuel valued at K56,000 and fled by the sea in dinghies.
It was reported later that the gang have travelled to Alotau in Milne Bay.
Baker was arrested in August last year.
Police prosecutor Sgt George Vetari told The National outside court that this was one of the many charges Baker faced.
He said Baker was a wanted criminal and when re-capture, he would be charged again for the offences.