Man charged with stealing over K19,000 granted bail

A MAN charged with stealing more than K19,000 belonging to Finschhafen Post Office in Morobe was granted K1,000 bail by the Lae Committal Court yesterday.
While adjourning the case to Jan 28 for mention, Magistrate Pious Tapil told Ricky Keppy, 38, from Sambore village in Kabwum and his two guarantors to strictly keep with the bail conditions.
Keppy was arrested at Gagidu in Finschhafen on Nov 16 after a large amount of cash went missing in his custody when he was the officer-in-charge of Post PNG Ltd branch at Gagidu station.
Police said the money was supposed to be used at the post office to serve the customers.
It was alleged that on May 28, the defendant made a closing balance of K8,022.62, but there was no cash in the safe.
On Oct 28, according to the Pronto system set up by the office, K11,594 went missing from the custody of the defendant.
According to the system, a total of K19,744.61 went missing allegedly under the custody of the defendant.
A formal complaint was laid with police in Lae and Keppy was arrested and charged under the Criminal Code Act.
In another wilful and unlawful damage charge, Mek Rake, 49, from Koare village in Pangia, Southern Highlands, was also granted bail of K1,000.
Appearing from custody, Rake submitted through his counsel for a bail of K500 but the court decided for a higher amount because of the seriousness of the offence.
Police alleged that Rake, on May 10, while drunk, damaged a vehicle belonging to one Philip Nom at Asu Block in Lae.