Woman accused of stealing acquitted

A WOMAN accused of misappropriating a soccer team’s fund was acquitted by the Waigani Committal Court yesterday due to lack of evidence.
Maria Osika John, 29, was charged with misappropriating K1,500 belonging to One Soul Soccer Club in Gerehu, Port Moresby.
The court heard that in July 2009, under a contract secured by the club’s treasurer, the club was given a sum of K3,000 by the National Broadcasting Commission for work with K500 being used for registering the club and K700 for the purchase of club uniforms.
It was alleged that Mrs John misappropriated K1,500 for her own personal use.
Magistrate Sinclair Gora said he took into consideration the police prosecution’s evidence in four written statements.
The court was informed there was no evidence specifying how much Mrs John had misappropriated except the written statements.
Magistrate Gora said: “I am also not satisfied with the evidence put up by the police prosecution.”
He then struck out the case for insufficient evidence and ordered the bail money to be refunded to Mrs John.