Senior worker faces fraud charge

 EAST Sepik administrator Otto Ganai has appeared in the Wewak district court for allegedly misappropriating K1.1 million belonging to the Boram General Hospital.

Wewak deputy district court clerk Antonia Tapukun said Ganai, 50, from Kuragumun village, Yangoru district, was charged with dishonestly applying for his own use public funds and breaching the Public Finance Management Act. 

Charged with him are Richard Komboi, 52, from Tangori, Kubalia district and Pins Construction Ltd general manager Bob Daniel, 49, from Namuk village, Angoram.

The three have been bailed for K5000 to appear on Aug 4.

Ganai was accused of failing to check a claim of K803, 527.39 submitted by a contractor for the purported maintenance of the hospital’s maternity ward. 

Komboi was accused of failing to check the claim of K337,916 submitted by the contractor for the same work.

Daniel was accused of submitting two false claims – K337,916 and K803,527.39 –  totalling K1,141, 443.39 for the purported maintenance of the maternity ward.

It is alleged that Daniel had already been paid K223,000 by the hospital board for the work his company had done to maintain the maternity ward.