Man charged with forgery to face trial

A Committal Court in Lae has committed a man charged with forgery and uttering of signatures to trial at the National Court after finding sufficient evidence against his charges.
Magistrate Pious Tapil told Thurston Thomas Pussi, 61, from Tawae-Siassi’s Getua village in Morobe, that the evidence before the court is sufficient to commit him.
The court was told that Pussi allegedly presented a withdrawal slip at a Bank South Pacific Financial Group Limited branch in Lae with forged signatures of some officials of an elementary school and was trying to withdraw funds when the bank stopped him and reported the matter to police.
“Your statement in court says that you were only trying to get the cheque cashed in a bank and you were not responsible for drawing the cheque, but you were the one that presented the cheque to the bank,” Magistrate Tapil told Pussi.
Magistrate Tapil said there is prevalence of such offences in schools in rural areas and that has affected many children’s education.
“I therefore committed you on both charges (forgery and uttering) and you will stand trial at the National Court on May 13,” Magistrate Tapil said.