Teenager jailed for 12 months

 A TEENAGER who withdrew K1,400 from another person’s bank account without his permission was last Friday sentenced to 12 months in prison by the Lae District Court.

Magistrate Nasaling Bingtau also ordered Laune Sam, the perpetrator, to  repay the money after serving his term or be jailed again for another six months.

Bingtau said the penalty was necessary because the amount of money stolen was large.

He added that such punishment would also deter people from stealing from others.

The court heard that on April 26, the complainant’s daughter, Isabell Yami, gave her father’s bank card to Sam to withdraw K150.

Instead of withdrawing that amount Sam withdrew K1,400 in two different transactions that day.

He later returned to their Talair Compound residence and told Isabell that the ATM machine had withheld the card as he was attempting to get the money.

The court heard that Isabell, from Menyamya and Sam from Finschhafen, Morobe, were neighbours. 

Isabell reported the matter to her father, Jonathan who went to the bank to verify the matter.

The bank informed him that they had not kept his card and that two separate transactions were made using his card that day. 

The complainant then reported the matter to police resulting in Sam’s arrest.

Bingtau asked the accused if the report presented by police in court was true but he denied saying the machine had the card.

“I am not convinced by your story because a bank statement showed that you made two withdrawals that day,” Bingtau said.

He sentenced Sam to 12 months in jail and ordered him to repay the money after completing his term.