A criminal case against Central Provincial Administrator, Gei Guni Raga, has been dismissed from the Waigani Committal Court due to lack of evidence.
Raga was in court over allegations of abuse of office since his arrest in August last year.
He was on bail of K5,000.
Police alleged Raga abused his office when he refused to pay K4.7 million to a company called Rumbam Engineering Limited for road works along the LNG impact villages of Boera, Papa, Lealea and Porebada.
Waigani Committal Court Magistrate, Cosmas Bidar, last week dismissed Raga’s case after his lawyer put to court that there was no case to answer to.
The court agreed and ruled there was lack of evidence in establishing a prima facie case against Raga to warrant the committal of his case to the National Court for trial.
Magistrate Bidar said normal procurement procedures were not followed under the provisions of Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and the contract was an oral contract and there was nothing in writing.
There was no written agreement in place to support the allegations.
Raga thanked his lawyer, family and friends for their support in his case.
His bail of K5,000 has been refunded to him.
(Central PA Gei Guni Raga, centre, being congratulated by friends and relatives outside Waigani court house – Picture by John Iamo, CPG Media)