Case moved to Central

By ZEDAIAH KANAU
A CASE involving the break-in at the Bank South Pacific (BSP) branch in Kerema, Gulf, was heard yesterday in the Central Committal Court in Port Moresby after it was found that there was no magistrate available in Kerema to preside over the case.
Presiding Magistrate Laura Kuvi of the Central Committal Court yesterday arraigned three men who were alleged to have broken into the BSP branch in Kerema and taken K221,000 in cash.
The men all from Gulf are Haro Ivora, 40, from Uto village, Malalaua; Saru Nokora, 60, from Mariki village, Ihu; Misimare Kiakara, 38, from Petohe village, Kerema.
The men were each charged with breaking and entering and stealing.
Before the arraignment, Magistrate Kuvi queried a lawyer assisting in the three men’s bail application on why the case was not heard in Kerema.
The lawyer told the court that the magistrate for Kerema was in Port Moresby on medical grounds.
The men were granted bail of K1,000 each by Magistrate Kuvi who told them that because the offence was not committed with the use of a firearm they did not need to apply to the National Court for bail.
She used her discretion and granted bail and ordered that the men’s guarantors paid K500 in surety for each of them.
Police Prosecutor Snr Const Malot Asi made no objection to the bail application.
Their case was adjourned to Feb 2 and the men will be released from custody once payment of bail and surety is completed.
It was alleged that in August last year, Ivora travelled to Port Moresby from Kerema to meet his two accomplices at the Talai settlement in Badili.
He told them about the state the BSP Kerema branch was in and that there would be no security that night.
Nokora is allegedly a known as a break-in specialist in his Talai community.
On Dec 13, Nokora arrived in Kerema and met Kiakara at Petohe village.
In the early hours of Dec 14 they broke into the bank through a back door and forced open two cash boxes removing notes in denominations of K2, K5, K10 and K20.