Cop in jail for stealing evidence

 A POLICE officer has been jailed for two years by the Waigani National Court for stealing court exhibit money three years ago.

Zachery Pasiliu, 56, from Kokopo, East New Britain, a senior officer at the Boroko Police Station, was found guilty and convicted.

The court heard that Pasiliu was given K4200 by another police officer for safe keeping and was to be used as police exhibit in court.

The court was told that the money was the balance of a K59,000 that belonged to Komo landowners in Hela.

In mitigation, the court heard that Pasiliu served the police force for 30 years with a good disciplinary record and was a first-time offender.

Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, considering the aggravating factors, said the accused was a senior police officer and with his experience should have known better.

Sir Gibbs said he had breached the trust of the other officer and the aggrieving landowners and he had no evidence of repaying the amount when called several times.

He said Pasiliu was trusted and given the exhibit for safe keeping as he was the senior officer. 

Sir Gibbs ruled that the accused was tempering and destroying evidence of a court of law. 

He ordered a jail term of two years and that his bail of K1000 be refunded.