Committal court dismisses armed robbery case

 By JACKLYN SIRIAS
SENIOR Magistrate Cosmas Bidar threw out a charge of armed robbery against four men at Bomana Committal Court last Friday because of insufficient evidence.
Francis Sepoe, 21, from Gulf, Aima Michael, 18, from Central, Paul Don, 21, from Northern and Manai John, 21, from Central were  alleged to have held up a man at Manu Market in Port Moresby.
They allegedly stole his vehicle valued at K50,000.
Bidar said the main witness did not identify any suspect in his statement but police arrested the suspects at a different location than where the incident had occurred.
He said according to submissions made by police, they got radio messages at 5-Mile Jack Pidik Park.
He said the police stopped, picked the four people and thought they were involved in the robbery.
Bidar said the actual incident happened at Manu Market yet the defendants were caught at a different location.
He said the accused were arrested, charged and interviewed but there were no admissions.
Bidar said the court found insufficient evidence and struck out the case.
It was alleged that on Jan 16 at 5-Mile roundabout in the National Capital District, Sepoe, Michael, Don and John pointed a homemade pistol at Adrian Karuka and stole a vehicle from him.
The four accused had appeared from  Bomana prison where they had been detained and were discharged.