Duo plead guilty to stealing flags for Independence

TWO men pleaded guilty to stealing four PNG flag from a street vendor in Mt Hagen to celebrate the country’s 44th Independence day.
Jackie Joe, 28, and Jacob Michael, 26, from Tindom Hill and Wala village in Nipa, Southern Highlands, respectively pleaded guilty to stealing on Friday in the Mt Hagen District Court.
Joe, who was also in possession of a bush knife, also pleaded guilty for in possession of an offensive weapon.
Police told the court last Thursday afternoon that Joe and Micheal went to Pos Kuri, a street vendor based at KK Paradise in Mt Hagen, and stole four PNG flags – two big ones costing K2 each and two small flags costing K1 each.
Police told the court that when Kuri went after Joe and Michael to get his flags back, his other goods, that were worth K150, were stolen by other people.
Police told the court that Joe, a father of two, and Micheal, a father of one, were arrested by a policeman who was in the area and taken to the police station.
Joe was charged with two counts, stealing and being in possession of an offensive weapon, while Micheal was charged with stealing under the Summary Offences Amended Act.
Joe and Michael admitted to committing the offence and asked the court for mercy.
Magistrate Donald Joseph ordered the four flags tendered in court as exhibits to be returned to the owner and the bush knife to be forfeited to the State.
He told the two defendants that the offences committed were serious and carried a maximum penalty fine not exceeding K4,000 and an imprisonment period for not more than two years.
He ordered the two men to remain in police custody and return to court on Friday for sentencing.