Cheating case moved as files not ready

National

A MAN, 67, charged with cheating by the Lae Committal Court will have his final adjournment next Wednesday because the police file was not ready.
Magistrate Pious Tapil noted that Peter Meka, from Lariau village in Ihu, Gulf, appeared in court on Feb 4 but until now police file was still not ready.
Magistrate Tapil told the arresting officer on Friday to sort out the police file quickly and bring it to court on the next date or court would consider June 15 as the final adjournment date.
It was alleged that in early Oct 2020, Meka made a deal with the complainant (Michael Pano) about a piece of state lease land allotment 14, which he was selling at K150,000, at East Taraka in Lae.
The police summary stated that Meka and Pano had an agreement, but advised the defendant to have the land title fixed and give upfront payment of K35,000 in cash.
The court was informed that the title of the land was not fixed, so Pano, at his own expenses, flew Meka a couple of times to Port Moresby to fix the land title at the Lands Department office.
Police said the total expenses for travel, accommodation, food and other expenses added up to K15,000 and the total spent was about K50,000.
The court then noted that Meka sold the same piece of land to another buyer for K100,000 without Pano’s knowledge.