Engan couple denies falsifying document

A COUPLE from Enga province appeared before the Boroko District Court yesterday charged with attempting to obtain false documents for a PNG passport.
Police prosecutors said the breach of the Passport Act was a very serious matter as “it is being treated as a transnational crime involving human smuggling”.
Both Makala Nina, 40, and Robert Paki, 38, denied the charges.
The court heard Nina and Paki had attempted to obtain false documents to secure a PNG passport in the Waigani Immigration Office on Jan 11, for a Fijian woman whom they claimed was a sister-in-law, ontravening section 16 (a) of the passport Act.
The prosecution objected bail when the defence counsel verbally applied for bail, citing the serious nature of the crime.
Magistrate Danny Wakikura ordered that while the defence counsel was preparing bail
applications, both the accused were to be remanded.
Magistrate Wakikura fixed April 4 for hearing and ordered both to appear in court today on the matter of bail.