Aussie lawyer faces charges

 By CHARLES MOI

An Australian lawyer of a law firm based in Port Moresby faces fraud-related charges involving K3.1 million belonging to the Flying Doctors trust account. 

Steve O’Brien, aged 47, was arrested by police last Sunday and charged with conspiracy to defraud, misappropriation and stealing K3.1 million. A copy of the charge sheet obtained by The National shows that the lawyer allegedly  pretended to the Investment Promotion Authority that Ian John Proctor was the director of the Pioneer Health Services Ltd. 

Police alleged that the lawyer changed the company records of Pioneer Health Services Ltd at the Investment Promotion Authority office by removing Captain Fredrick Arthur Martens as director and shareholder, when he was not, with intent to defraud. 

The misappropriation charge alleges that the lawyer stole from the Finance Department bankable cheques in different instalments totalling K3,126,830 judgment debts owing to Pioneer Health Services Ltd that came into a law firm on a solicitor-client basis, the property of Pioneer Health Services Ltd.

The charge of stealing alleges that the lawyer stole from the Finance Department bankable cheques totalling K3,126,830, the property of Pioneer Health Services. 

Police allege that the offences were committed between Aug 24, 2004 and Nov 15, 2015. 

According to the statement of facts in the charge sheet, the K3.1 million was part of a judgment awarded to the complainant Captain Fredrick Arthur Martens in July 2003 by the National Court in proceedings WS 174/1999. 

More arrests are expected.