The State v John Akoko (2001) N2061
| Jurisdiction | Papua New Guinea |
| Judge | Injia J |
| Judgment Date | 03 March 2000 |
| Citation | (2001) N2061 |
| Court | National Court |
| Year | 2001 |
| Judgement Number | N2061 |
Full Title: The State v John Akoko (2001) N2061
National Court: Injia J
Judgment Delivered: 3 March 2000
N2061
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
[IN THE NATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE]
CR. NO. 1240/99
THE STATE
-vs-
JOHN AKOKO
Lae : Injia, J
2000 : February 29th, March 3rd
Criminal Law — Sentence — Stealing — By policeman — Part of money
recovered by police from major airport robbery — Need for strong punitive and
deterrent sentence to restore public confidence in Police Force.
Cases cited in the judgment:
Wellington Belawa .v. The State [1988 — 89] PNGLR 496
L. Rangan for the State
P. Ousi for the accused
3rd March 2000
INJIA, J: The accused is a former policeman. He was a member of the Police Task Force in Lae. The offence to which he pleaded guilty was committed in the course of performing his official duties as a member of the Police Task Force. He pleaded guilty to stealing the sum of K7,000 being part of the sum of K180,000 recovered by the Police Task Force from robbers who stole a total of K254,000 belonging to the Westpac Bank in a daring day-light robbery carried out at Nadzab Airport on 4 May 1999 which resulted in the fatal shooting by the robbers of a security guard employed by Securimax. The police Task Force contingent headed by the accused was called in to pursue the robbers. In the course of a fierce gun battle which ensued between the robbers and the Police Task Force behind the hills of Yalu village, the sum of K180,000 was, and to use the words of the accused, "spilled over" by the robbers which the police recovered. Upon seeing the money, the accused fell "tempted" by the occasion and kept for himself K7,000.00. The accused was arrested at Goroka with K5,528.40 in his pocket which police seized. By this time, the balance of K1,477.60 had already been used by him. He is currently appearing on Court bail of K1,000.00 and offered to repay part of the outstanding balance with this bail money if the Court gives him the opportunity.
He asked the Court to give him a chance by imposing a non-custodial sentence because: (1) He was "tempted" by the occasion to steal the money. (2) He led in the hot pursuit of the robbers resulting in a fierce gun-battle and risked his own life and succeeded in recovering substantial portion of the money stolen by the robbers. (3) There was no pre-planning involved. (4) He co-operated with the police in readily admitting the offence on several occasions. (5) He has served the police Force and the country for 9 years, most of the time with the Police Task Force with...
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The State v Simon Paul Korai (2009) N3820
...v The State [1988–89] PNGLR 496; Lawrence Simbe v The State [1994] PNGLR 38; Seo Ross v The State (1999) SC605; The State v John Akoko (2001) N2061; The State v Robert Kawin (2001) N2167; The State v Timothy Tio (2002) N2265; The State v Louise Paraka (2002) N2317; The State v Richard Dusal......
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The State v Ruth Mamando (2008) N3709
...The State [1988–89] PNGLR 496; The State v Rex Lialu [1988–89] PNGLR 449; Doreen Liprin v The State (2001) PNGLR 6; The State v John Akoko (2001) N2061; The State v Paroa Kaia (1995) N1401; The State v Bygonnes Tuse Nae (1996) N1474; The State v Vurmete (2000] PNGLR 231; Tom Amaiu v The Sta......
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The State v Roselyn Waiembi (2008) N3708
...v The State [1988–89] PNGLR 496; Seo Ross v The State (1999) SC605; Doreen Liprin v The State (2001) PNGLR 6; The State v John Akoko (2001) N2061; The State v Robert Kawin (2001) N2167; The State v Timothy Tio (2002) N2265; The State v Louise Paraka (2002) N2317; The State v Richard Dusal B......
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The State v Newton Simbiri (2012) N5161
...Takesi [1997] PNGLR 507 Allan Peter Utieng v The State (2000) SCR 15 of 2000(unreported and unnumbered judgement) The State v. John Akoko (2001) N2061 The State v. Robert Kawin (2001) N2167 The State v. Timothy Tio (2002) N2265 The State v. Louise Paraka (2002) N2317 The State v. Shirley Ta......
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The State v Simon Paul Korai (2009) N3820
...v The State [1988–89] PNGLR 496; Lawrence Simbe v The State [1994] PNGLR 38; Seo Ross v The State (1999) SC605; The State v John Akoko (2001) N2061; The State v Robert Kawin (2001) N2167; The State v Timothy Tio (2002) N2265; The State v Louise Paraka (2002) N2317; The State v Richard Dusal......
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The State v Ruth Mamando (2008) N3709
...The State [1988–89] PNGLR 496; The State v Rex Lialu [1988–89] PNGLR 449; Doreen Liprin v The State (2001) PNGLR 6; The State v John Akoko (2001) N2061; The State v Paroa Kaia (1995) N1401; The State v Bygonnes Tuse Nae (1996) N1474; The State v Vurmete (2000] PNGLR 231; Tom Amaiu v The Sta......
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The State v Roselyn Waiembi (2008) N3708
...v The State [1988–89] PNGLR 496; Seo Ross v The State (1999) SC605; Doreen Liprin v The State (2001) PNGLR 6; The State v John Akoko (2001) N2061; The State v Robert Kawin (2001) N2167; The State v Timothy Tio (2002) N2265; The State v Louise Paraka (2002) N2317; The State v Richard Dusal B......
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The State v Newton Simbiri (2012) N5161
...Takesi [1997] PNGLR 507 Allan Peter Utieng v The State (2000) SCR 15 of 2000(unreported and unnumbered judgement) The State v. John Akoko (2001) N2061 The State v. Robert Kawin (2001) N2167 The State v. Timothy Tio (2002) N2265 The State v. Louise Paraka (2002) N2317 The State v. Shirley Ta......