Charge against couple dismissed

By TREVOR WAHUNE
A MAGISTRATE has ordered that a police officer who obtained K320 from a couple then later charged them with bribery must pay the money back.
Senior Magistrate Cosmas Bidar dismissed the bribery charge against Ellie Johnny and Joe Wararo, saying there were many cases of “trumped-up charges” by inexperienced police officers reaching the court.
The married couple from Enga were alleged to have offered K320 to Constable Joshua Kraip as a bribe after they were involved in a road accident along Waigani Drive on July 23, 2018.
Kraip impounded their vehicle at the Gordon police station.
Magistrate Bidar found that there was no evidence of bribery.
He said Kraip had asked the couple for the K320 but failed to give them a formal receipt, or a police recognition form.
He also said Senior Sergeant Apollo Teri who investigated the matter did not do his job properly.
“The matter was supposed to be reported to traffic police, but instead ended up at the Gordon police station,” Magistrate Bidar said.
He said when the couple lodged a complaint after realising there were no record of the payment, the officer laid charges of bribery against them. “This is a classic case of a trumped-up charge,” he said.
Magistrate Bidar ordered that the couple’s bail money be refunded plus the K320 paid to Kraip.
“If Constable Kraip does not reimburse you the K320, go to the Port Moresby district court and summon him to appear there.”