Security guard’s stealing charges struck out

By BEVERLY PETER
A COMMITTAL Court in Waigani yesterday struck out a charge of stealing against a 22-year-old man because of a lack of evidence.
Magistrate Danny Wakikura said the case against Joseph Kang, of Kolapa village in Kandep, Enga, had been before the court for almost eight months but police had been unable to offer any evidence to support the charge.
“Kang has been attending court since last September and the police hand-up brief is still not ready,” he said.
Magistrate Wakikura said the case was struck out because the police file was not ready within a reasonable time but Kang could be re-arrested once the hand-up brief was completed.
“He can be arrested again any time if the police find evidence in relation to the allegation of stealing.”
Police alleged that last Aug 17, Kang, a security guard and another guard (named) were on night duty guarding the Niu Sky Pacific Compound at Kennedy Estate in Port Moresby when a water pump worth K2,360 in unit 10 went missing.
On night duty, one guard mans the gate while the other walks the compound’s perimeter, however, on the night in question neither man patrolled the area nor did they lock the gate to the property.
In the morning, Kang allegedly left earlier than normal without following handover protocol for the next shift.
Later that day, the unit’s occupants discovered their pump was missing and alerted the security company and police.
On inspection, it was discovered that the pump had been carefully removed without damaging any of its housing or other nearby property leading the occupants to believe that someone with intimate knowledge of the equipment and surroundings had stolen it.