Pilot charged in cocaine case

National

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
AUSTRALIAN pilot David John Cutmore and PNG national Shane Dikana have been charged by police investigators under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing Act 2015, a police officer says.
Acting Police Commissioner Donald Yamasombi confirmed that charges laid last week were ongoing with police investigations.
“The record of interview has been completed, the men were supposed to face court last Thursday, but it was adjourned to this week,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crimes) Hodges Ette confirmed the charges of both men.
Cutmore is charged with one count of receiving drugs while Dikana is charged with one count of receiving and one count of concealing tainted property.
It was alleged that Dikana was sent money via an account belonging to a relative from the ANZ bank last year.
It was further alleged that the majority of the money was earmarked for him to facilitate the transfer of cocaine.
“When the pilot was picked up last year, Australian dollars were allegedly given by the pilot to Dikana,” ACP Ette said.
“The case was supposed to be heard on Thursday, and the court on its own provision adjourned the case to next week, the interviews of the suspects have been completed, and we are tidying up the hand up brief before being served on the defendants.”
ACP Ette confirmed that Cutmore was still in the country.