Ganaii transfers Ok Tedi case to another magistrate

MAGISTRATE Tracy Ganaii in the Waigani Committal Court yesterday transferred the cases of a senior lawyer and three other co-accused who are directors of the OK Tedi Fly River Development Foundation (OTFRDF) to another magistrate to progress them because she will no longer be sitting in the committal courts. Greg Sheppard, Edna Oai, Anne Smerewai and Boston Kasimani who are facing fraud-related charges will appear before magistrate Danny Wakikura on Thursday to move their outstanding applications and progress the matter.
Their bails were extended with conditions. There were bail variations granted for Smerewai and Oai to travel.
Sheppard was also granted bail variation to travel to Wewak from July 23 to 25.
Their charges relate to payments totalling K268 million made to others whom they had allegedly conspired with in using money belonging to the Western people’s dividend trust funds.
The money was for funding and implementation of development projects for Community Mine Continuation Agreement communities comprising 147,000-plus people from 158 villages in Western.