Man charged with false pretence

A 64-YEAR-OLD man who allegedly obtained property by false pretence faced the Waigani Committal Court on Thursday to hear his charge before Magistrate Tracy Ganaii.
Isaac Moke, from Maia village in Pangia, Southern Highlands, appeared before Ganaii on a K1,000 police bail which was converted to a court bail with the conditions that he refrained from interfering with witnesses and showed up for his court hearings.
Police alleged that Moke, while residing at his nephew’s property while he was away, filled a land title survey for Kone Newtown residents coordinated by the office of Moresby South MP Justin Tkatchenko.
The survey was done to register land and give titles to genuine settlers in the electorate, in which Moke listed himself and his wife as owners of the land belonging to his nephew Jack Nandi.
Moke, who formerly worked with the Mining Department (1980-2003), had previously housed Nandi in his property at Lawes Rd, Konedobu in Port Moresby, before selling the property in 2007.
After getting his payments for his property, Moke allegedly left without notifying his family that new tenants were moving in. On Jan 27, 2017, Nandi allegedly purchased land for K10,000 at Chuave St, Kone Newtown.
Moke was then taken in by Nandi to live with him at his property in Newtown.
On Oct 27, 2017, after Nandi had left for the village, Moke allegedly listed himself as the property owner and told his relatives to forcefully evict Nandi’s family.
Nandi reported the incident to the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate.
The fraud investigation team established that the land and not belong to Moke or his wife.
On Jan 31, Moke was brought to the fraud office and interviewed before being charged with obtaining land by false pretence.
The matter returns to court on March 6 for mention.