Teenager charged with armed robbery

A TEENAGER whose picture was posted on social media holding guns in a stolen vehicle with his friends appeared in court last Thursday.
Thomas Salto, 18, appeared before Magistrate Cosmas Bidar in the Committal Court in Waigani charged with one count of armed robbery and one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The court was told that Salto, also known as Tom Tegera, from Bubu village in Wau, Morobe, and three men allegedly held up a vehicle driven by Simon Awong along Hibiscus Street in Hohola, Port Moresby at around 8.30pm on Aug 28.
Awong, who was driving the vehicle owned by Anna Awasa, alleged that Salto and the three men surrounded him as he was turning a corner.
They pointed guns at him and told him to exit the vehicle.
He complied.
The men then drove off in the vehicle and later, a picture of them was posted on social media posing with guns in the vehicle.
Awong and Awasa reported the matter to police who arrested Salto and the men at Morata in Port Moresby.
Police believe that Salto and the other men were also involved in a separate robbery attempt near the Port Moresby Business College.
Magistrate Bidar adjourned the case to Oct 25 for mention.