Adviser jailed for misusing funds

The National National

By ROSELYN ELLISON
EAST New Britain’s (ENB) human resources adviser Janet Molong Posakei has been jailed to six years by the Kokopo National Court after she pleaded guilty to misappropriating K143 812.46.
Justice David Susame, however, suspended the sentence on medical grounds (since Posakei is asthmatic) and with conditions.
In handing down the suspended sentence, Susame outlined the following conditions:

  • That bail of K5,000 shall be refunded and paid to the ENB administration operational account and receipt be made available to the assistant registrar for record purposes toward restitution of monies stolen;
  • that the accused report to the senior probation officer in Kokopo within 24 hours for purpose supervision and monitoring;
  • that the accused is not to change her usual residential address without the knowledge of the senior probation officer;
  • that the accused is restrained from taking all forms of alcohol while serving out probation;
  • that the accused is to attend regular church service with the church you are member of; and,
  • In the event the accused failing to restitute the full amount stolen and breaching any of all the conditions of your probation sentence, she will be arrested and brought to court to serve out your six years suspended sentence in Kerevat Jail with hard labour.

Posakei had used the names of seven officers to misappropriate funds belonging to the ENB administration.
The court also heard that five of the officers were under suspension without pay and another two had passed away. Between May 1, 2014, and May 31, 2015, Posakei manipulated the Alesco human resources payroll system and diverted monies into her account.
Posakei’s fraudulent scheme was detected when the name of one of the suspended officers was found back on the payroll system, while he was still under suspension without pay.
In mitigation, Posakei apologised to the court, State, ENB administration and the families of the people she had manipulated.