A PNG Correctional Service staff has been arrested for the alleged misappropriation of funds totaling over K830,000.
Solomon Junt Warur, 48, from Rainau village, Kokopo district in East New Britain Province, was arrested on December 14 and charged with 68 counts of false pretense and 68 counts of misappropriation of funds.
National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate director, Matthew Damaru, says Warur is employed by CS as a sergeant and communication officer at CS headquarters.
“It is alleged that in 2010, he incorporated a company known as Merc-Tech Electronics Ltd,” says Damaru.
“He is the principal owner of the company, however, other directors named on the IPA records are ghost names and he is the same person with different names.
“In 2010, he opened a bank account with BSP, Waigani branch, under Merc-Tech Electronics Ltd, in which he is the sole signatory.”
It was alleged that after the bank account was opened, he submitted month claims to purchase printers, copiers, fax machines and toners for PNGCS headquarters and other CS establishments throughout PNG.
However, when the claims were processed by the accounts section, he allegedly collected the cheques and deposited them into Merc-Tech Electronics Ltd.
“After the cheques were cleared, he wrote cash cheques and made payments to individuals and for his personal use,” says the fraud director.
The matter was reported to police after the CS establishments did not receive the electronic goods.
After completion of investigation, Warur was picked up at his office yesterday and taken to the NFACD office at Konedobu where he was interviewed.
“He exercised his constitutional right and remained silent throughout the record of interview,” says Damaru.
“After the arrest process was completed, he was taken to Boroko Police Station where he was placed in the cells.”