​Former Parliamentary staff arrested

A former Parliamentary staff has been arrested by detectives from the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate for K6 million fraud in Western Province.

On September 14 at Daru, detectives arrested and charged Andrew Menger Marubu of Bela village, Mendi district, Southern Highlands Province, with two counts of false assumption of authority and one count of misappropriation of K6 million.

Marubu was formerly employed by the National Parliament as first secretary to the then minister for sports and South Fly, Sali Subam.

In a statement, NFACD director, Matthew Damaru, says: “It is alleged in October 2011, Department of Finance allocated K6 million to South Fly district under the supplementary budget for the construction of health workers’ houses. The K6 million was remitted to South Fly district treasury account.”

Damaru says after the money was transferred, Subam held a joint district planning and budget priorities committee meeting in November 2011 and made a number of resolutions. One of the decisions included tendering the project, which changed the scope from building houses for health workers to supply of building materials.

“Recommendation was made to the Central Supply & Tenders Board to tender rural housing program. As a requirement of recommendation for tender, CSTB requested technical evaluation and recommendations to be made as to who would be awarded the contract,” says Damaru.

“Without authority, Marubu responded, purporting to be the chairman of the technical evaluation committee, and recommended Quick Span Building Systems Ltd. In his recommendations, he named four officers of the committee.

“Police investigation revealed the scope of works for this project was changed from the initial purpose that had warranted the release of funds to the South Fly district treasury.”

Damaru says the four named officers denied their involvement, saying they were not in any way part of the technical evaluation committee.

“After the arrest procedure was completed, Marubu was placed at Daru police station cells.

“National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate conducted the investigation upon complaint by the former chief secretary to the government, the late Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc.”

His complaint was sent to the police in a letter dated 24 July, 2013, when he was acting finance secretary.

“Investigations are continuing and more arrests are expected to be made soon,” says Damaru.

Author: 
Press release