Gold nuggets land lawyer in jail

 THE Waigani National Court has jailed lawyer Lawrence Pukali to five years in prison for false pretence and forgery involving gold nuggets priced at more than K400,000. 

Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika said during sentencing on Tuesday that this was a case of  “daylight robbery at its best”. 

Sir Gibbs said Pukali’s standing as a lawyer was brought into question. 

Pukali, 52, said during the trial that he was the middleman in a business deal involving the gold nuggets. 

He said K405,000 would be paid in exchange for 2535grams of gold nuggets.

The gold nuggets were then given to Pukali by the victim who pursued him for the payments. Pukali then wrote a forged cheque for K170,000 and gave it to the victim. 

The court then convicted Pukali for wilful false pretence and fraud after a trial. 

In deciding an appropriate sentence, the court took into consideration mitigating factors of Pukali’s health as a diabetic patient. He is married and has children. 

The aggravating factors were the amount involved and Pukali’s position of authority as a lawyer. 

Sir Gibbs said Pukali gave no evidence for the buyer of the gold nuggets to make the payment of K405,000. Pukali was jailed for three years for wilful false pretence and five years for forgery, all to be served concurrently. 

Sir Gibbs told Pukali that the legal profession was meant to be a noble profession. 

“Honesty is a virtue that all humans must develop,” Sir Gibbs said. 

“Honesty will keep you in good stead. You cannot do without honesty in your profession.”