Detectives from the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate have reported the arrest of the former Registrar of Companies and chairman of Securities Commission.
In a statement, Fraud Director Matthew Damaru said detectives arrested and charged Alex Tongayu, aged 40, on November 8th, 2018, with one count of forgery and one count of uttering.
Detectives claimed that Tongayu, who is from Walumi village, Hela Province, had forged the signature of the then Minister for Trade and Commerce, Richard Maru, on National Gazette number G441.
Tongayu allegedly appointed himself as duly appointed by the National Government as the Registrar of Companies and Chairman of Securities Commission.
“On June 7th, 2017, after the National Gazette was printed, Alex Tongayu produced the gazette to the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) and was installed as the Registrar of Companies and the chairman of the Securities Commission,” stated Damaru.
“When he committed the offences, he was acting in the position.
“Then Minister for Commerce and Trade, Mr Richard Maru, denied appointing Tongayu to the position and made a public advertisement in the Post-Courier stating that Alex Tongayu had appointed himself and referred the matter to police for investigation.
“The National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate, after receiving the complaint from Mr Maru, conducted an investigation into the allegation.
“The managing director of the IPA also made a complaint to the NFACD on the same matter.
“Tongayu was invited to the NFACD office at Konedobu where he was interviewed.
After the interview and completion of arrest procedures, he was taken to Boroko Police Station where he was placed in the cells.
“He will appear before the Waigani District Committal Court next week to answer to his charges.”