Former Lands chairman cleared of fraud charges

By BOURA GORUKILA
FORMER Lands board chairman Francis Neil Tanga was yesterday cleared of the fraud-related charges levelled against him because of a lack of evidence.
Magistrate Tracy Ganaii ruled that there was insufficient evidence found against the 54-year-old from Laku village in Wapenamanda, Enga.
She discharged him from charges of false pretence, forgery and uttering and ordered his bail of K3,000 be refunded.
Police alleged that Tanga conspired with accomplices and associates between July 3, 2008, and June 23, 2015, to falsify documents and make utterances to the Lands Department to bid for land portion 2353, Granville.
Of the four charges initially, two charges of abuse of office and conspiracy were dropped because Tanga was no longer occupying the office of the chairman of the Lands board and that police were not sure whether the complainant, Pr Philip Laho, was a living person or not.
Magistrate Ganaii said for the charge of false pretence, the elements of the charge were not complete as the information on the charge sheet was not complete in its wording and deficient as it contained nothing about obtaining a property and therefore was struck out.
She said for the charges of forgery and uttering, the police case was one of circumstantial evidence as there was no direct evidence showing that Tanga forged and uttered the documents.