GM guilty of stealing K1.14mil

By BVERELY PETER
A CONSTRUCTION company general manger has been found guilty of stealing more than K1.14 million belonging to Boram General Hospital in East Sepik, eight years ago.
Judge Justice Nicholas Miviri presiding in the National Court in Wewak convicted Pins Construction Limited general manager Bob Daniel, 57, of Angoram, on Friday.
“The evidence shows that Daniel is guilty of submitting two false claims worth K337,916 and the K803,527.39 totalling to the amount of K1,141,443.39 from the K2 million parked at the East Sepik treasury trust account,” he said.
Justice Miviri said Daniel was guilty of fraudulently stealing the money, of inducing the provincial treasury to obtain the money and of dishonestly applying the money for his own use.
Daniel submitted the claims because his company had an agreement with the hospital to renovate the maternity wing.
“The only agreement made between Daniel and the hospital at the time was for Daniel’s company to renovate the maternity wing which was at the amount of K223,340.70 and was paid accordingly upon completion,” Miviri said.
He said the renovation was substandard as the new floor quickly deteriorated while other fixtures such as cupboards were not installed.
Daniel’s accomplices former East Sepik administrator Otto Ganai and former deputy corporate services administrator Richard Komboi were also found guilty for breaching the Public Finance Managing Act by processing the claim without properly checking it. Ganai and Komboi were each sentenced to four years imprisonment last year.
Komboi reviewed his sentence in the Supreme Court on medical grounds and is now serving probation outside custody.
The matter returns today for submission on sentence.