Former shipping GM charged with misusing cash

By PISAI GUMAR
THE police fraud squad in Lae has arrested a former shipping company executive, a banker and a casual employee with a trucking firm.
The former Rabaul Shipping Company general manager was arrested and charged with three counts of allegedly misusing cash collected for the vessel.
John Vaika, from Nukutoa village, in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville but based in Rabaul, was charged with misappropriating total of K228,809.96.
Police allege that between Jan 1 and Aug 31, 2011, Vaika collected K125,030 from the sale of tickets to passengers.
He is alleged to have collected a further K98,776.96 from passengers for cargo and late boarding penalties and another K5,000 from selling tickets to passengers aboard the vessel.
It is alleged that he used the money instead of depositing it into the company account.
 The company filed a report with fraud squad in Lae and officers from there flew to Rabaul to investigate the matter before arresting and charging Vaika.
In another case, a BSP Lae commercial branch employee, Rex Asar Jr, 24, from Mampin village, Kaiapit, in Markham, Morobe province, was arrested and charged with stealing K2,600 on Feb 20.
Police also arrested and charged  Sox Kilong, of Kobau village, Pindiu, Finschhafen, Morobe, for obtaining money by false pretence. Kilong was a casual employee of Mt Guo Trucking Company.
Police said Kilong acted without the company’s authorization to sign fuel dockets to re-fuel private vehicles. He signed away K8,500 between Jan-Feb.
Lae Fraud Squad investigator Michael Parais said on Feb 22, the Niugini Oil Company held him when he tried to re-fuel a private vehicle.
He was arrested and charged with false pretence.
Asar Jr and Kilong were formally arrested and charged under the Criminal Code Act, and were allowed out on police bail awaiting their appearance in the Lae committal court.
Ends