Gamato detained for breach

The National Main Stories

By ZEDAIAH KANAU
ELECTORAL Commissioner Patilias Gamato spent last night in a cell at the Boroko police station after a court yesterday ordered that he be detained for breaching the conditions of his bail granted last month.
Magistrate Ernest Wilmot granted an application by the police prosecution to have that bail for K3,000, granted on Oct 18, forfeited because Gamato had subsequently interfered with three State witnesses.
“This court considers the breach extremely blatant. The accused is an office holder, an educated man and a man of higher regard,” Wilmot said.
“The actions of the accused is to obviously intimidate and interfere. He exercised his powers to oppress those he saw as persons behind his arrest. These actions are quite serious indeed.”
He ordered that Gamato be remanded at the Bomana Prison, before adjourning the case to Dec 18.
But last night at around 9pm, Gamato was still at the Boroko police station with the Electoral Commission lawyer Alice Kimbu.
Gamato, 53, from Sapa village in Huon Gulf, Morobe is facing charges of official corruption, dealing with criminal property and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Since his bail was granted on Oct 18, police alleged that the following events took place:

  • Oct 21: Alwynn Jimmy, the current Provincial Election Manger for Southern Highlands stated that Gamato had instructed the EC Human Resource Manger to liaise with the Department of Personnel Management about advertising his (Jimmy’s) position.
    David Wakias who was the (then) Election Manager for Southern Highlands, stated in his affidavit that Gamato had perpetrated his arrest to interrupt his (Gamato) court proceedings. On Oct 28: Wakias alleged that Gamato had him arrested for unlawful use of a motor vehicle even though the vehicle was given to him by former Commissioner Andrew Trawen for official use during the 2017 general election.
  • On Nov 1, Aida Sampson stated (in an affidavit) that Gamato had removed her from her position for no good reason. She had received a revocation letter written by Gamato ordering her removal.
    Magistrate Wilmot said they were “serious allegations and bail can be revoked if there are sufficient grounds”. Wilmot ordered Gamato’s bail revoked and ordered that he be taken into custody.
    Commission lawyer Alice Kimbu requested that the court order be extended to today (Friday). But police prosecutor Sgt Joseph Sangam objected saying she should seek appropriate orders from the higher court.
    “It is not for this court to stay its own orders,” he said.
    Gamato was then taken to the Boroko police station to be transferred to Bomana.

11 comments

  • Gamato is was the one who heavily involved in corruption particularly 2017 election. He is the one that caused tribal fights happened in some parts of the country related to election. He should be charged or spent his whole life in Bomana. Such people like Gamato, Kase and Kombra why government allowed them in their office??? If government really serious about the corruption, the these type of idiots must be eliminated at the first place. I was realizing that politicians are the main root cause of corruption but not them. Those head of department idiots occupying top positions are the main roots of corruptions. These people are mainly practicing wantok system, favoritism, selfishness, greediness and above all, mainly involve in stealing.

  • May be he needs a comfort zones to redress his thinking capacity and how he can use his millions sitting in the account. Please give him place of quietness is Bomana.

  • Please give him more support so that he can find comfortable zone in Bomana to coordinate the election for prisoners to contest for freedom. I hope many prisoners gona bribe him for their freedom so that Gamato can be promoted to life sentencing.

  • See Gamato’s face in the daily newspaper and I see two horns popping out from his head and you guessed it.. he is the Devils’s own. He dressed neat and appears to be well presented but inside him is rotten as hell!

  • Simple is that,if he done wrong let them in Bomana if not release them.Gamato is not special man he is just like us.Mistake is mistake.Why we will mercy.Wrong is wrong,right is right.According to what he has done base on that and make a final decision.

  • He is responsible for the millions of Kina worth of destruction of properties and loss of lives especially in the Highlands provinces and further millions spent in unnecessary court battles because of his poor decisions. I hope NCE revokes his appointment.

  • Hahahaha he has been the centre piece in PO’s election so look him in Bomana that’s where he belongs.

  • Everything he has, including bank accounts, assets and even land goes to the state, ban him from any office job and let him feel the pain of subsistence living and will realize why people cry for basic services and political power.

  • All the comments are frustration of mismanaging and misuse of trust bestowed on the one officer called Electoral Commissioner. Yes, we (Papua New Guineans) have experienced a trend being developed in the Electoral Commission especially where Ballot Papers are being printed Overseas (Indonesia) at a much higher price while our very own Government Printing Office (GPO) can do the same printing, at the same quality, lower price, same feature and more importantly return the Kina right with the government coffer. Then we had a surprise when two forms of the same barcode bearing ballot papers, duplicate tag numbers and almost everything duplicate.
    This is only the tip of the ice berg. Gamato has to answer more today and even in Hell too!. This country is a beautiful country, beauty meaning God fearing, peace loving, law observing, sharing and caring but it is being damaged because of such people like Gamato, Kase, Paul Popie or Popsie in the NDoH Public Accounts Committee hearing.
    I give credit and SALUTE Prime Minister James Marape to come out clear during the Repentance Day to offer apologie and curse at the same. Many department heads, CEO and civil servants who are involved in corrupt activity will be exposed not long.
    I WISH A TOUGHER LAW LIKE THAT IN SINGAPORE BE ADOPTED HERE. Thank you all.

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