Cops were misled to arrest me: Sarong

A LANDOWNER leader claimed yesterday police acted on “misleading information” to arrest him on charges of misappropriation.
Mark Sarong, the chairman of the Kikori Gas Pipeline Landowners Association was arrested and charged with misappropriation on Tuesday.
He said armed police stopped him at Erima and arrested him.
He was charged with 10 counts of misappropriating monies totalling K8.6 million.
He was released on K5,000 bail.
Mr Sarong said the arrest arose from a dispute over the leadership of the landowner company, an issue that is currently in court.
He said a faction had used their lawyer and gone to police to lay a mischievous complaint after he refused to release K2 million to them.
Mr Sarong said the K2 million was part of the K8.6 million released by the Department of National Planning for projects in Kikori.
He said stringent guidelines were followed for the release of the money, and he was surprised that charges were laid against him in connection with the use of these funds.
He said he would defend himself vigorously.
Mr Sarong and the rival group disputing his leadership would appear in court today on a contempt hearing instituted by his lawyers in the National Court.
But Boroko CID last night insisted that they were only acting upon a court order from last year when they arrested Mr Sarong on Tuesday afternoon.