National Library and Archives

Minister Uguro emphasized that it is a must that all schools across the country have libraries.

He said government is embarking on establishing school libraries and public libraries in all districts and provincial headquarters throughout the country.

Uguro said it is relevant that the public has access to reading materials too.

“It is the priority of the Marape-Basil Government to ensure that our libraries are accessible to our citizens and schools throughout the country.

The Waigani National Court on Friday sentenced former director of the National Library and Archives, Jacob Hevelawa, his wife Miriam Hevelawa, and the former corporate service manager of the National Library and Archives, Timothy Numara, to five years in prison.

They were given five years in prison for conspiring with each other to misappropriate K118,846.30.

The two former library bosses, Hevelawa and Numara, were also given two years for abuse of office after they were convicted for conspiring to defraud the state of the said amount.

The former director of the National Library and Archives, Jacob Hevelawa, his wife Miriam Hevelawa, and the former corporate service manager of the National Library and Archives, Timothy Numara, were found guilty on Friday for conspiring with each other to misappropriate K118,846.30 last year.

The three were arrested and charged in January 2016 with one count each of abuse of office, dishonestly applying K118,846.30 and conspiring to defraud the state of the said amount.

Lawyers for the former director of the National Library and Archives, Jacob Hevelawa, his wife Miriam Hevelawa, and the former corporate service manager of the National Library and Archives, Timothy Numara, moved a no case submission asking the Waigani National Court to discharge them.

They moved the application after the state closed its evidence in the trial, saying the state's evidence produced in the trial so far is misconceived and that witnessed called by the state gave opinions rather than evidence.

Former director of the National Library and Archives, Jacob Hevelawa, his wife Miriam Hevelawa, and the former corporate service manager of the National Library and Archives, Timothy Numara, are standing trial before Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika.

They returned to court this morning where the state called its second witness to give evidence.

Records of interview conducted in January last year by police on the three individuals were tendered into evidence this morning before the trial continued.

Kuman said, following the recent launch of the National Library, Archives and Records Services 10 Year Strategic Plan 2016-2025, library and archives provides a source to store knowledge.

He said this knowledge can be retrieved in the future for education and other use.

Kuman highlighted that in the past, Papua New Guineans basically depended on the memory to remember everything that has happened in the past.

Former director of the National Library and Archives Jacob Hevelawa, his wife Miriam Hevelawa, and the former corporate service manager of the National Library and Archives, Timothy Numara, all appeared before the Waigani National Court.

Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika reviewed and conducted their District Court bail conditions to the National Court.

Numara is on bail of K6,000 while the Hevelawa are on bail of K2,000 each.

They were ordered to report to the National Court Crimes registry every second Friday of the month.

Contractors gathered as early as 8am outside the Waigani National Library area where they waited for Fraud investigators to go meet them. This is the second time Fraud officers will be assisting the Education Department to investigate and verify list of contractors.

A team of investigators from the NFACD arrived around 10 am at the National Library to check and verify a list of contractors who did works around the National Archives and Library in Waigani and the Hohola Library.

Lawyer representing the Corporate Service Manager of the National Library and Archives Timothy Numara appeared before Magistrate Cosmas Bidar but without his client in court.

The charges against Numara were read in court before the matter was transferred to another magistrate who will be dealing with Numara and his two co-accused Jacob Hevelawa and Miriam Hevelawa.

Bidar said the matter will go before Magistrate John Kaumi and the three accused are expected back in court on Feb 26 for mention.