Woman convicted of forgery, uttering

 A WOMAN convicted of forgery and uttering involving K66,974.90 belonging to the Port Moresby Cancer Relief Society Incorporated has been ordered by the National Court to repay the money within 12 months starting yesterday.

Failure to do so will result in the woman getting sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour.

Margaret Ani, 26, from Pari village in National Capital District, was charged with one count each of forgery, uttering, stealing and misappropriation.

She was convicted of the forgery and uttering charges and acquitted on the stealing and misappropriation charges.

Ani was working with the Port Moresby Cancer Relief Society as treasurer in 2012 when the offence was committed.  

She had forged the signature of the society’s president Dadi Toka Junior 24 times on pay cheques and uttered the documents she forged 24 times between June 1, 2012 and Sept 18, 2012 and cashed the cheques totalling K66,968.90 at a bank. 

Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, in his consideration on the seriousness of the offence said “this is indeed a serious case of forgery and uttering.”

The court found that some of the money was used by Ani’s partner to gamble.