K1m suspect nabbed in pokies parlour

A BUSINESSMAN, who has been on the run for three years after failing to account for close to K1 million, has been arrested in Port Moresby.
Leo Tale, of Yungili village, Pangia, Southern Highlands, was yesterday charged with two counts of stealing a total of K960,020 belonging to the state and one count of bribery.
Port Moresby investigators, in close consultations with their Kundiawa colleagues, picked him up at a Port Moresby pokies club last Wednesday where he tried without success to bribe the arresting officers with K600.
According to the charge sheets, Tale allegedly collected K960,020 to supply plant equipment to Gumine district in 2006 but failed to deliver the equipment.
Gumine MP Lucas De kena, who is now Lands and Physical Minister, laid a complaint with Kundiawa police, who investigated, leading to last week’s arrest.
He was locked at the Boroko cells for the night and then taken to police anti-corruption office where he was interviewed and formally charged.
Investigation documents showed that Tale had registered a company, Edge Corp Pacific Ltd, and picked up two payments totalling K470,020 on Dec 19, 2006, to deliver a D6H Caterpillar bulldozer.
He picked up another payment of K490,000 on May 15, 2007, for a purchase of a second-hand motor grader. 
Police refused bail as the case involved almost K1 million and bribery was a serious offence.
Manager of Gumine works unit Simon Gilmai, who broke the news of the arrest, thanked the police for performing their duties with professionalism and standard.
He said the money belonged to the people of Gumine which should be used to serve them.
Gilmai said the people wanted to see justice prevail  and that Tale pay the price for his crime.