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K500,000 settlement ‘fell into wrong hands’
By SHEILA LASIBORI
SIXTY-seven people from Western Highlands
province are still waiting for the State to pay them more than K900,000
in damage compensation caused by a police raid in 1989.
However, the first two payments of between K200,000 and K300,000 in 2005
and last year, respectively, “had ended up in wrong hands”, thanks to
the Office of the Solicitor-General in Port Moresby.
The group’s spokes-man Philip Kisipa (in the place of former spokesman
Siltu Karo – now deceased) said that the Mt Hagen National Court in 2000
ruled in their favour and ordered the State pay them K959,281.39 in
compensation.
But acting Solicitor-General David Lambu said he would not entertain any
claims that were dealt with by previous Solicitor-Generals.
He said there were so many allegations of corruption and bribery against
the office so claimants will have to go back to court for new court
orders for payment.
“If things have been done wrongly, then I will not entertain them and so
they have to go back to court,” he said, adding that he was aware of the
second release of the cheque from the office.
He also said the deed of releases that were signed several years ago by
former Solicitor-General Francis Kuvi will not be entertained.
“For amounts of more than K100,000, I will tell them to go and fight it
in court.”
He said already about K500,000 had been paid to about 26 plaintiffs but
over the years, this number had increased to more than 60.
Mr Kisipa said in 2005, the Bank of PNG released the first cheque
payment of K200,000 to the Solicitor-General’s Office for clearance
before release.
Mr Kisipa claimed the cheque was somehow released to one Moses Saka, who
claimed to be a lawyer representing the group.
The second cheque (No.830527) for about K300,000 was also made by the
bank through the same channel.
And at that time, Mr Kisipa was facing a criminal proceeding and so the
cheque had to be withheld at the Solicitor-General’s office again before
his matter was cleared.
Then, recently it was reportedly released to the same person.
Mr Kisipa appealed to supermarkets and financial institutions not to
cash a BPNG cheque number 830527, dated Feb 3, 2006.
He said the BPNG had been informed to take necessary steps to prevent
this cheque from being cashed.
 
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