Barry Barmelio and Lavu Lavu Kahue were both released from custody after posting $500 surety bond last week.
The two defendants appeared before Associate Justice Lourdes Materne on July 18 and entered a plea of not guilty to their charges.
Associate Justice Materne set the pre-trial conference for August 22, 2008 at 1:30 p.m.
Barmelio and Kahue were both charged with grand larceny, two counts of petit larceny, two counts of cheating, two counts of forgery, two counts of attempted cheating and two counts of attempted forgery.
The information filed in court stated that defendants stole a checkbook from David Miho’s vehicle parked in front of his residence in Malakal on April 4.
The information stated that defendants committed cheating when they “unlawfully obtain two cases of beer belonging to Franco & Sons store, and gasoline belonging to Midtown Service Station, by false pretenses, knowing the pretenses to be false.”
The information added that defendants committed forgery when they “unlawfully and falsely make or alter a writing, a check in the name of David Miho to Franco & Sons store, and to Midtown Service Station, with intent to defraud.
The information stated that defendants “attempted to obtain two cases of beer belonging to WCTC West Minimart and another two cases of beer belonging to Franco & Sons store and that defendants attempted to alter a check in the name of David Miho to WCTC and Franco & Sons.”
The affidavit of Police Officer Cane Tmekei stated that Kahue entered the vehicle of Miho on April 4 and carried away Miho’s checkbook and 8 packs of Pall Mall cigarettes.
Kahue went riding around with Barmelio and they decided to try to use the checks to buy beer at the WCTC but failed because the cashier who knew Miho refused to accept the check.
They also purchased gasoline using Miho’s check at the Midtown Service Station.
The defendants were arrested on April 30, 2008.
