Suspected of taking K190,000

A MAN, 31, is facing a false pretence charge in court for alleged fraud totalling K190,000 through the sale of a vehicle.
Committal Court Magistrate Paul Puri Nii read out the charge to Jonah Kinta, from Tambul in Western Highlands, and adjourned the case to May 9 for mention.
“Your bail is extended and you will return to court next month,” he told Kinta.
Police alleged that on April 3, 2022, Kinta went into a verbal agreement with David Andemba (complainant) to sell his vehicle.
Both parties allegedly agreed that the payments be made in instalments within one year and then the ownership would be transferred to Kinta.
Following the agreement, from April 4, 2022 to May 27, 2022, Andemba made a total of six cash instalment payments on six different occasions totalling to K190,000.
Andemba also spent K19,000 to fix the vehicle.
But on June 15, 2023, Kinta, without informing Andemba, allegedly removed the vehicle from his driver in Boroko assisted by a reserve police officer under the pretext of illegal use of a motor vehicle and it was taken to Four-Mile NCDC office to be grounded.
When Andemba went to the NCDC office to enquire about the vehicle, he was told that the vehicle would be grounded until both parties resolve the matter amicably.
Kinta, after allegedly conspiring with the reserve policeman, took the vehicle without Andemba’s knowledge and changed the plate number, making it difficult for Andemba to identify the vehicle and he used the vehicle for almost two years.
Andemba sighted Kinta at Ponderosa carpark at Five-Mile on March 14 this year. He alerted police and Kinta was nabbed.
Upon police questioning, Kinta maintained that the vehicle was hired by Andemba and denied stealing it.
Police then charged him with one count of obtaining money by false pretence.