Three arrested over K1million fraud case
By JASON SOM KAUT
THREE people in Australia have been arrested over the embezzlement of over K1 million from a Papua New Guinean company that left 100 people without jobs.
The three are part of a syndicate believed to involve five expatriates, who had set up off-shore companies with intent to defraud the company.
They include a Western Australian man aged 46 and a husband and wife aged 45 and 38 years respectively.
They will appear before the Brisbane Magistrates Court on March 31 over alleged multiple international fraud offences.
The 46-year-old was previously employed by Hornibrook NGI Ltd and was responsible for the closure of the company Port Moresby office.
He later worked with Lakaka landowner Company of the rich Lihir Gold Mine in Kavieng, where he is believed to also have embezzled a substantial amount of money.
This was revealed yesterday from Australia by detective Snr Constable Sue Wakerley of the fraud and corporate crime group under the state crime operations command of the Queensland police department.
The arrest culminated as part of a 12-month operation by Ms Wakerley, Det Sgt Mark Hamilton and forensic expert Brett Gordon that brought them to PNG last September.
Investigations are still continuing with another suspect already interviewed, while the fifth suspect is yet to be questioned.
Hornibrook had initially laid a complaint with the Queensland police in relation to the former employee’s involvement in fraud against it.
The financial trail was traced using Australian government tracing system.
The three have been released on bail pending their court case.
“Complex investigations have identified an elaborate system in creating shelf companies to funnel the money into accounts operated in Brisbane, Sunshine and Gold Coasts…,” detective Wakerley said.
Directors from the two companies are currently assisting police with their operations.
Company director of Hornibrook NGI Ltd Sherron Lewis yesterday urged companies to make people accountable and advise senior management or the police of such offences.
“Expatriates are guests supposedly training nationals and should respect the laws of Papua New Guinea,” Mrs Lewis said.
She extended her call to make people accountable, to officers in the Government circle saying people in PNG had many opportunities to make an honest living.
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