Man to defend false pretence charge

A Western Highlands man charged with false pretence, forgery and fraudulent utter was yesterday committed to stand trial at the Waigani National Court.
Joseph Ande, allegedly withdrew K4500 from a Westpac Bank account belonging to a medical doctor based at the Sir Joseph Nombri Hospital in Kundiawa, Chimbu.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar told the court that there was sufficient evidence to commit the case to the national court.
Bidar told the court that after a search, police found that Ande had an account with ANZ with no money in it.
The court heard that both the accused and the complainant had the same name.
The main witness and complainant Dr Joseph Ande found that Westpac Bank balance reduced from  K32,500 to K28,000 and  the accused was in the process of getting a new ATM card after the alleged withdrawal, Bidar said.
Following his committal, the accused was asked by the court if he wanted to give his statement, to which he agreed.
He argued that the Westpac account was his and if he had intentions to steal from Dr Ande ,he would have withdrawn all the money.
“Part of the blame can be on Westpac Bank for removing money from another man’s account and putting it into your account,” Bidar pointed out.
Ande, the suspect, is on an extended bail of K500 and will appear for listing on July 25 at the national court.
Police alleged that on July 21 last year, Ande went to Westpac at Waigani and pretended to be Dr Ande.
He then went to the bank produced a driver’s licence and forged the doctor’s signature on the withdrawal slip and took out K4500 from the doctors account.