Fraud-related charges for IRC employee

AN employee of the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) faces fraud-related charges involving K10,000 and is expected to appear in court next week.
National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate (NFACD) director Chief Supt Mathew Damaru said Mailu Malele, 32, from Keagolo village, Rigo, Central, was, on Tuesday, charged with one count of abuse of office, one count of false pretence, one count of official corruption and one count of misappropriation of funds totalling K10,000 which had come into his possession on the account of his employer, the Independent State of PNG.
Malele was employed by IRC as stamp duty assessor when he allegedly committed the offences.
Chief Supt Damaru said on Dec 21, 2017, a company official from Glory Development Ltd requested for assistance on stamp duty matters as one of their clients was going to purchase a property for K638,000.
The stamp duty to be paid to IRC was K25,000 but Malele was told the client had only K10,000.
Chief Supt Damaru said Malele allegedly told the client to bring K10,000 and give it to him which he received but did not issue a receipt.
The following day, Malele called the client to come to IRC stamp duty office and he allegedly delivered stamped documents to the client.
The IRC through this transaction lost K25,000 in tax revenue, Chief Supt Damaru said.
He said the matter was reported to the NFACD by the IRC commissioner-general Sam Koim and police officers attended the complaint and brought Malele to the Konedobu, NFACD office.
He was interviewed, arrested, charged and locked up at the Boroko Police Station.
Malele is expected to appear in court for mention next week.