Man in court for allegedly pretending to be contractor

By BARBARA DERUAGE
A MAN accused of pretending to be a contractor and engaged the services of a local carpenter without paying him appeared in the Waigani Committal Court on Friday, after escaping to Port Moresby from Gumine.
In addition to the non-payment, he had allegedly borrowed K400 from the victim and failed to keep to his agreement, which he made before a police officer, to pay him back in Port Moresby.
David Sil, 57, from Neragaima village, Gumine, Chimbu, was charged with fraudulently tricking Simon Yaku to build a classroom for Komikala Elementary School in Gumine and fleeing the province without paying him.
It was alleged that between June and July 2016, Sil, pretending to be a contractor, was engaged to build a double classroom for Komikala Elementary School.
He promised Yaku that he would pay him K3,000, on the completion of the double-storey classroom.
Yaku worked on the building with the aid of four other carpenters.
While construction was underway, Sil borrowed K400 from Yaku.
When the building was completed and presented to the school, Sil disappeared.
Yaku travelled to Morobe to search for Sil but heard from sources that Sil was in Port Moresby.
He travelled to Port Moresby in pursuit for Sil and lodged a formal complaint at Hohola Police Station.
Sil was arrested on April 16 but asked to have the matter sorted out of court and Yaku agreed.
A deed of agreement was signed by Sil and Yaku in the presence of a police officer to settle the matter on May 31 but Sil did not keep his word.
Sil was arrested again and charged.
He appeared in court on Friday for mention.