A Charge Of Fraud
p. 128 · Read in the full issue
Kenneth Bock, who was involved with J. D. Wilkinson in ex traordinary court proceedings in Samarai, Papua, some 18 months, ago, was arrested in Port Moresby in January, on a charge that he committed a fraud in Queensland in 1947, and was sent on extradition, to Rockhampton, for trial.
Bock, then an Administration employee, and Wilkinson, a trader, were charged at Samarai with the theft of Government stores. They were tried by two different judges.
On exactly the same set of cir cumstances, Wilkinson was found guilty, and sentenced to imprison ment, while Bock was adjudged not guilty. In view of the absurd situa tion, and the absence of suitable appeal machinery, Administrator J. K. Murray issued a pardon to Wilkinson, and he was released after serving only a short part of his sentence.