Immigration man denies theft charge

A Government immigration officer on trial in the High Court at Hamilton for stealing from immigrants has denied the charge.

On the first day of what is expected to be a four-day trial yesterday a jury was told that Manjit Singh, 35, of Hamilton, took $500 from a Thai couple for a car that had been owned by two Thai women who were facing deportation.

Proceeds of the sale would normally be used to pay for the deportation but it is alleged Singh kept it.

Justice Venning ordered name suppression of two Thai witnesses.

Questioned by Crown prosecutor Tini Clark, one of the witnesses said he had borrowed $300 from his wife and got the other $200 from an ATM machine to give to Singh.

The man and Singh then went to Hastings where the man gave him the money. He said Singh collected the keys to the car and drove off in it.

Singh's defence lawyer Roger Laybourn suggested the witness had lied and that there had been no trip to the ATM machine.

- nzpa