Accused of false pretence

A MAN who allegedly stole K110,000 from a woman by false pretence will stand trial at the National Court on Jan 15.
District Court Magistrate Joseph Posi ruled in Waigani on Dec 15 that Thomas Kandaki from Tambul in Western Highlands, is committed to stand trial after he made his declaration (Section 96) statement.
“Police have provided sufficient evidence to sustain the charge of false pretence so you are now committed to stand trial in the National Court on Jan 15,” he said.
The complainant, Helen Mikmik, had taken Kandaki to court after the defendant allegedly initiated the sale arrangement for a property at the Korobosea surburb, beginning on April 20, 2021.
Police alleged that after agreeing the previous day to proceed with the sale arrangement, on April 21, 2021, Kandaki took the buyer (Mikmik) to meet another male who, he claimed, was the owner of the property.
The next day, Mikmik was shown the property documents and was told they were genuine and in order and an agreement was reached for a purchase price of K400,000.
That same day, the plaintiff met with the “owner” at the Hilton Hotel to formally sign the offer letter and the letter of acceptance to buy the property, the formalities were witnessed by Kandaki.
After the signing, police said, Mikmik went to the bank and manually withdrew K75,000 and deposited the money into an account supplied by “the owner”.
The woman was promised to have the land title transferred to her within a week after the completion of the contract of sales.
After further delays to the transfer of the land title, Mikmik was asked by the “owner” for K25,000 as a consultation fees for the land transfer.
Nothing happened, with more excuses forthcoming. Police said on May 17, 2021, another K10,000 was paid to Kandaki to facilitate a stamp duty requirement at the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) office.
After 10 minutes, Kandaki came out of the IRC building with a title transfer instrument and a contract of sales bearing the IRC stamp duty, this, he gave to Mikmik.
The woman then presented the documents to the Lands Department but was advised by a senior officer that she had been dealing with the wrong people; that the title of the said property was registered under a different name.