Enga’s electoral manager arrested

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
POLICE in Jiwaka have arrested Enga’s election manager for allegedly misappropriating K500,000 allocated to Jiwaka for the common roll update exercise.
Acting provincial police commander Billy Kombil said yesterday David Wakias, from Wankinara village in East Sepik, was arrested and charged with misappropriating K500,000.
Kombil said Wakias was arrested in Mt Hagen and taken to Banz where he was formally charged and held in custody.
He said other senior electoral officials in the new Jiwaka province and from the Highlands region who allegedly benefited from the money would be arrested and charged as well.
He said the money was given by the Electoral Commission last year to pay officials engaged in the common roll updates in the three districts of Jiwaka – Jimi, North and South Waghi.
Kombil said a few electoral officials who allegedly got the money did not pay the officers engaged in the update exercise.
He said that resulted in those officers holding onto the forms.
He said Wakias had acted as a paymaster in the distribution of the K500,000.
Kombil said the K500,000 was withdrawn from Bank South Pacific on Dec 14 and 18 last year.
He said more than K499,000 was withdrawn on those two dates.