Fraud investigators need money for trust account probe

THE National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate needs around K200,000 to complete its investigation into the alleged abuse of funds in the non-Community Mine Continuation Agreement in Western, an official says.
Chief Superintendent Mathew Damaru said the funds were meant for communities affected by the Ok Tedi mine in Western.
The directorate is investigating whether the funds held in a Trust Account at a bank in Port Moresby had been abused.
“We have almost completed our investigations. About five per cent of the work is left. We need about K200,000 to complete investigations,” he said.
Damaru has called on Western Governor Taboi Awi Yoto, South Fly MP Sekie Agisa, Middle Fly MP Roy Biyama and North Fly MP James Donald to fund the investigations.
Damaru said they only receive K300,000 annually from the police force.
“That’s not enough. So I’m calling on Governors and MPs to help us conduct investigations into their provincial governments.”
On Friday, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill told Parliament that he would direct an investigation in to the abuse of funds in the non-CMCA and CMCA trust accounts.
Meanwhile, Damaru said the Western government topped the list of official corruption and abuse of public funds cases.
“East Sepik is next to Western. Interestingly, for the first time, we have received one official corruption case from the East New Britain government this year.”