Missing accused puts robbery case on hold

THE ruling on two men charged with armed robbery has been adjourned to next week because one of them failed to turn up in court last Friday.
Donald Steven Joe and Kenneth Aup were to have appeared before Waigani Committal Court Magistrate Cosmas Bida. But Aup, 30, from West Sepik, did not turn up.
Joe, 29, from Eastern Highland, and Aup are facing a charge of armed robbery.
Both were alleged to have been involved in the robbing of the Bank South Pacific branch at 7-Mile, in Port Moresby, last year where K778,300 was stolen.
The court heard that Joe was also charged with the robbery at Tropic Air at 7-Mile and had been committed to stand trial at the National Court.
It was alleged that on Aug 5, 2016, between 3.45am and 4am, the men and others dressed in BSP security guard uniforms drove to Hohola to where the team leader at the BSP mini branch lived.
They pretended to be security officers on a pick-up run. They produced a gun told the team leader to take them to the branch.
They allegedly entered the premises together with the leader and gained access to the branch using her access card.
The charges said she led them to the safe and opened it. The robbers removed the trays containing the money and left.