Former South Fly MP charged

National

FORMER South Fly MP Sali Subam was arraigned at the Waigani Committal Court for allegedly misappropriating K6 million in public funds.
Subam, 64, of Garaita village in Morehead, South Fly, Western, appeared before Magistrate Ernest Wilmot.
Subam was alleged to have been involved with others, including Kiriwina-Goodenough MP Douglas Tomuriesa and his wife Rachael, in misappropriating funds which were allocated for the renovation of health workers’ homes in Western.
Tomuriesa and his wife are facing similar charges.
It was alleged that on Oct 14, 2011 the Finance Department raised a cheque for K6 million to South Fly for health workers’ houses under the 2011 supplementary budget for rural health services.
On Nov 2 the same year, Subam called a joint district planning and budget priority committee (JDPBPC) meeting where resolutions were made, including the decision to change the purpose from building houses to promoting healthy living.
Police believed the meeting took place after some earlier discussion between Subam and Tomuriesa, who is the director of a building and construction company Quick Span Building Systems Ltd.
Subam, who was then the Sports Minister, wrote to Rural Development and Implementation Department and Central Supply and Tenders Board asking to tender the housing project.
His letters were contrary to the JDPBPC meeting decisions.
Subam’s liaison officer, a co-accused, allegedly claimed to be the technical evaluation committee chairman and allegedly provided false tender assessment reports recommending Quick Span to be awarded the contract and it was awarded on May 4, 2012.
Subam and his liaison officer went to Daru and had the cheque processed by the district administration.
In Feb 2013, the first shipment of 21,600 roofing iron sheets arrived at Morehead LLG in South Fly.
It was alleged that that was the only shipment from the contract.