Misappropriation

Justice David Cannings on Tuesday convicted Bruno of two counts of dishonestly applying a total of K91,000 to his own use and the use of others on Nov 4, 2013.

From Rasese village, Namatanai, New Ireland Province, he was convicted after the court found that the state proved its case beyond reasonable doubt following a trial.

State called 10 witnesses during the trial while two witnesses were called by defence.

39-year-old Jeffery Yakopya, the former Assistant Secretary-Economic Branch of the Department of National Planning and Monitoring, was found guilty to paying his own company K5 million to build three Bailey bridges in the Komo-Margarima district, Hela province. Only one bridge was built.

The offence was committed in July 2010 when Yakopya, on behalf of Niugini Star Transport Limited, a company he incorporated himself, submitted a project proposal to the department valued at K14,609,126.03.

The 53-year-old from Suapri village, Maprik District in the East Sepik Province was arrested and charged with two counts of the misappropriation of properties, two counts of Abuse of office, one count of stealing by false pretense and one count of conspiracy to defraud.

Kapris was arrested and charged for misappropriating state peroperties valued at K3, 519,998.

The properties belong to the Maprik District and the state which he allegedly misappropriated for his use and the use of others.