Man on trial for robbing supermarket

A MAN stood trial at the National Court in Lae yesterday for holding up a major supermarket in Lae and stealing more than K13,000 in cash.
Eya David, in his 30s, of Zenamba village in the Huon district was charged with one count of armed robbery.
He appeared before Justice George Manuhu and pleaded not guilty.
The state alleged that on March 18, 2007, at 5.40pm, David and accomplices were at the entrance of Pelgens Supermarket Ltd at China Town.
Armed with home-made shot guns and other dangerous weapons, the State alleged that they held up the general manager of the supermarket, Helmut Pelgen.
They threatened him and took K13,401.37 in cash.
Yesterday, the first State witness, Stanley Gawi, who is a shop assistant, said he was inside the supermarket when a guard told him that there was an hold-up outside.
When he came out, he said the doors of the vehicles were open and armed robbers were getting away.
He told the court that he chased after them but he turned back when no one came to his aid.
Mr Gawi told the court that he knew the accused because they lived together at Bumbu settlement but did not know his name until his appearence in the court.
He maintained during cross examination that it was the accused he saw when he was chasing them.
When asked if the police had questioned him the day after the incident, he said he described to them what the accused look like.