Cop jailed for false pretence

By BEVERLY PETER
A SUSPENDED fraud squad police officer has been jailed four years with hard labour for obtaining more than K500,000 by false pretence in Port Moresby four years ago.
Judge Teresa Berrigan, at Waigani yesterday, in sentencing Roy Anthony, 42, of Wabag’s Lankep village in Enga, said the offence was serious in nature as it involved a large amount of money and was committed by a police officer attached to the fraud squad who was suspended at the time of the offence.
“Courts have made it clear that police officers must expect severe consequence when they breach the law.
“He knew exactly what he was doing and that it was criminal. Whilst not committed to the cause of his duty, offender (Anthony) used his position as a police officer to instil confidence in the complainant,” Berrigan said.
The National Court learnt that Anthony was engaged in real estate following his suspension from the fraud squad in 2017.
Between April 4 and April 29 in 2019, Anthony conspired and used falsified documents to persuade the compliant, Clement Paubali, that he was authorised to sell a certain property in Boroko, NCD.
Anthony, working with Nick Harrison, sold the property for K600,000 without the knowledge and authority of the registered title holder.
In doing do, Anthony and Harrison signed a contract of sale of the property and Paubali wrote a cheque for K514,896.20 to a company called Marine Holding Limited owned by Anthony.
Anthony then withdraw K430,000 cash a few days later. He pleaded not guilty and a trial was conducted and the court convicted him.
Berrigan said the offence involved proper planning with another person for over some time.
She added that Anthony met the complainant Paubali, showed him the property and indicated that he was authorised by a person named Joe Mur to sell the property.
“All of this was done to persuade the complainant, Paubali to buy the property when he knew that he did not have the registered proprietor’s authority.
“There is no evidence before me that Anthony will suffer excessively in prison,” Berrigan said.