Accused man on stealing charges held at Buimo

A MAN accused of stealing electronic items valued at more than K31,000 has been remanded at Buimo prison by a committal court in Lae.
Joseph Dilu, 44, from Kerowaghi’s Gena village, Chimbu, was alleged by police to have stolen items belonging to a training centre in Lae between June and July in 2022.
Senior magistrate Pious Tapil, explaining the committal court process to Dilu, told him that police had been given time to complete their files and ready them for the court.
Police claimed that Dilu stole televisions, various brands of portable projectors and laptops, Canon camera, stand fan, an electrical kettle and office furniture.
Police brief in court stated that Dilu’s security firm was contracted by the training centre to provide security, but the centre, after graduating students in April 2022, ceased operations because of outstanding debts to service providers.
The court understood that the centre initially had an agreement with the Chimbu government for it to pay for their students’ fees.
While waiting for payments from Chimbu to settle its debts, Dilu allegedly took the properties from the centre and kept them in his resident without the knowledge of the centre’s principal.
Police told the court that on Jan 13, Dilu called the principal and told him to give him K3,000 and he would return the properties.
The principal gave only K2,000 and asked for the properties to be returned but that did not happen and the matter was reported to police, Dilu was arrested.
The case was adjourned to Feb 2.