Chief Commissioner Sir Salamo Injia has questioned the involvement of Jimmy Maladina in the controversial K3 billion USB Loan transaction acquired by the government in 2014.
Emmanuel Asigau, who is a partner of Pacific Legal Group revealed at the inquiry that Jimmy Maladina was paid K1 million for his consultancy services in relation to the transaction.
The State Solicitor, Daniel Rolpagarea during one of his appearances earlier, told the inquiry that Pacific Legal Group was assisting the State Solicitor to get the legal work ready for the loan agreement.
Asigau said Treasury paid K1.6 million as legal fees to Pacific Legal Group of which, K1 million was paid to Maladina.
“I believe there was an existing arrangement with the firm (PLG) where Mr Maladina would introduce a matter and client to the firm”.
He said the K1.6 million was a single payment paid to the legal company around April or May of 2014.
Chief Commissioner Sir Salamo questioned what Maladina was paid for, which he answered that the payment was for introducing a client, Norton Rose which is a global legal firm.
Pacific Legal Group was affiliated with Norton Rose to facilitate the transaction. And Since the beginning of the inquiry, Norton Rose has refused to hand over files relating to the disastrous K3 billion deal.
Sir Salamo further questioned if Maladina was paid for introducing the State/Government to the firm in anyway, which he replied it was not to his knowledge.