Four men charged with stealing by false pretence

FOUR men who allegedly defrauded a Lae company of K161,270 worth of tyres appeared in the committal court yesterday charged with stealing by false pretence.
Jack Repi, 37, from Southern Highlands, Justin Kirua, 23, Kalsta Nanta, 35, and Taka Dola, 19, all from Western Highlands, appeared before magistrate Tera Dawai.
Magistrate Dawai told all four that since it was their first appearance, they would be allowed to make a proper bail application and provide two guarantors each to guarantee their bail.
The court heard that on May 23, Repi was at Eriku while the other three were at Dunlop PNG – Tyre Wholesale in the Main Market area.
It was alleged that the three picked up a total of 110 tyres which were fraudulently obtained.
Kirua was driving a 6-ton truck in which the tyres were loaded and transported to Eriku at Repi’s house.
Police indicated that prior to that day, there were exchanges of emails between an employee of Dunlop PNG and another employee of a company named Trans Wonderland and a request for quotation for 110 tyres were made to Dunlop.
On May 22, a cheque for K168,905 under a name TAJ Investment had shown up on Dunlop’s daily reconciliation list with information that a man named Justin would pick up the tyres since the payment was still being processed.
The tyres were released but later when the cheque bounced, the matter was reported to police who traced the truck and arrested the driver at Eriku.
Police further investigated and went to Repi’s residence and recovered 61 tyres valued at K31,964.
All four men who were accused were arrested.
Magistrate Dawai adjourned the case to Aug 3.