A FORMER Rural Development Bank (RDB) officer has been arrested and charged with alleged conspiracy and defrauding the State of K152,000.
Simbu provincial police commander Supt Jimmy Onopia on Monday confirmed the arrest of John Manga for allegedly conspiring with property valuers in the Highlands Highway rehabilitation project.
Supt Onopia said Manga recieved payments of K152,000 which was intended for a business group in Kunabau in Kerowagi district with an outstanding loan from RDB and properties next to the highway.
He said Manga had the cheque written out to him instead of the bank to offset the outstanding loan of the business group.
Kunabau villagers, the business group owners, brought their complaints to the police, who investigated and arrested the former RDB manager in Kundiawa last month.
Manga, originally from Western Highlands province, appeared for mention in the Kundiawa District Court and would appear for hearing at a later day. He was released on a K1,000 bail.
Supt Onopia said Simbu police fraud squad had begun investigation the fraudulent payment.
“We have identified several individuals who allegedly conspired with the valuers and official of the Highlands Highway rehabilitation and who have got away with thousands of kina,” he said.
“We are confident of making more arrests and get them to face charges of conspiracy and defrauding the State of thousands of kina.”
The National Government has made available K16 million to repatriate people with gardens and structures close to the highway to pave way for rehabilitation work.
The highway, from Magiro on the border of Simbu and Eastern Highlands to Miunde, which borders Simbu and Western Highlands provinces, is undergoing maintenance.

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