Court to rule on counterfeit case

By GEORGINA KOREI
A MAGISTRATE has told a Malaysian man charged with being in possession of more than K11,300 in counterfeit Papua New Guinea currency that his application to strike out the charge is premature.
Magistrate Danny Wakikura told Ling Kei Yii, 64, from Sibu, Sarawak, that he would make a ruling on Thursday regarding the application.
Yii was arraigned last month.
“I will not strike out this case as it only started last month,” Magistrate Wakikura said.
Yii, through his lawyer, filed the application on the grounds that the charge was defective.
Police prosecutor Sgt Peter Samghy said the application was misconceived.
“He was arraigned on April 5 so prosecution objects to the application to strike out the case,” he said.
Yii appeared in court on a bail of K3,000.
The case was adjourned to June 1 for a ruling on the application.
It was alleged that on March 10 between 5am and 7am, Yii was at Jackson Airport international terminal arrival lounge in Port Moresby.
He allegedly tried to use K1,620 in counterfeit notes to buy alcoholic products at Prouds duty-free shop.
The sales attendant realised the money tendered was not genuine and returned it to Yii who then used a credit card to make the purchase.
The sales attendant then informed Customs officers at the airport and they approached Yii and confiscated the counterfeit money and discovered a further K9,760 in counterfeit notes in his suitcase.