Australian to stand trial for stealing money from IEA

AN Australian worker will stand trial in the National Court on a charge of stealing money from the International Education Agency (IEA) PNG Ltd.
Waigani Committal Court Magistrate Paul Nii said there was sufficient evidence to committing Shaun Anthony Carden, 62, of Wongailing Beach, Queensland, Australia to trail.
“By carefully measuring the evidence from police file, I am satisfied that sufficient evidences meet the elements of the offence of stealing,” he said.
The court was told that Carden had applied to the IEA PNG Ltd as a people and culture manager after his contract with Steamships PNG Ltd ended in December 2018.
Police allege that the position was relayed secretly to Carden by the former chief executive officer.
He began working there on Jan 10, 2019.
The court heard that Carden did not return to Australia after his contract with Steamship ended.
Police allege that Carden planned with the IEA chief financial officer to pay him K74,528.28 on Aug 15, 2019. The amount was supposed to be K19,283.18 as his first pay. He was further paid K41,193.49 on Sept 7, 2019.
Carden was charged with two counts of stealing and breaching PNG’s immigration law.
Magistrate Nii said the charge of breaching immigration law had been struck out by the court which showed that his stay in the country was permissible.
“I have reviewed all the evidence from the police and refused to accept the statement from the migration office since the charge on breaching immigration law was struck out. My ruling is based on only the complainant’s and arresting officer’s statement.”