Kapris charged over misappropriation

National

Former Maprik MP Gabriel Kapris has been charged for misappropriating about K3.5million of District Services Improvement Programme funds to buy equipment for his own use, National Fraud and Anti Corruption Directorate (NFACD) director  Mathew Damaru said last week.
Kapris, 53, who was also the former minister for works and commerce and industry, was arrested at the Jackson airport last Tuesday afternoon while trying to board a plane for Wewak, East Sepik
He was taken to the NFACD office at Konedobu and questioned and later charged with two counts each of misappropriation, abuse of office and one count each of stealing by false pretence and conspiracy to defraud.
He was detained at the Boroko police cells before being released on a K1000.  He is expected to appear before the Waigani District Court this week.
Kapris from Supari village, Maprik, East Sepik, was alleged to have used DSIP funds to buy six brand new earthmoving equipment for K3,519,998 from Hastings Deering Limited in Port Moresby and shipped them to his electorate.
After the official launching was done at Maprik town, a company, Echohub Construction Limited, allegedly owned by his relative, was paid K400,000 from DSIP funds to work on road projects in the district. The machines were later taken to the Ambunti-Dreikikir electorate where Echohub Construction signed a third party agreement with SPZ Limited to work on an oil palm project.
These machines were never used in the Maprik district.