Court issues arrest warrant for trio on break-and-enter charges

 By Tabitha Nero
A COURT has issued a warrant of arrest for three men who allegedly broke into the Royal Port Moresby Golf Club and stole items valued at around K50,000 last month.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar issued a warrant of arrest last Friday for three men from Eastern Highlands.
The three men had allegedly escaped from police custody in Waigani, Port Moresby.
Clay Mawako, 20, Peksi Donald, 23, and Teka Amos, 20, were charged with break-and-enter and stealing.
Police prosecutor Constable Peter Samghy told the court that he did not know how and when the three escaped from the Waigani police station cells. He said there were no official record of their release from custody.
The trio allegedly broke into the Port Moresby Golf Club on May 23 and stole beverages, food and valuables worth about K50,000.
Bidar had expressed concern over the number of people in police detention leaving without any proper records. He said the term snake bail was used when a person in custody left without any proper record of release.
“It’s becoming prevalent that a person who is charged is released with a lighter charge or released without any records,” Bidar said.
A police officer appeared before the Waigani Committal Court last Thursday charged in relation to allowing a person in custody to leave without keeping a proper record of the release.
Tony Leo, from Western Highlands, had allegedly let a prisoner leave the Boroko police station cell on March 10 without authority.
Leo was granted K300 bail and will appear on July 27 for mention.