Magistrate sets Raga free: He was protecting public funds

By Alphonse Porau
THE Committal Court has dismissed abuse-of-office charges filed against Central provincial administrator Gei Guni Raga because of a lack of evidence.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar accepted a submission from Raga’s lawyer, Engelbert Hampaleke, that there was no case to answer.
Raga had been accused of abusing public office when he refused to pay K4.7 million to a company for roadwork undertaken along the villages of Papa, Lealea, Boera and Porebada in Central.
Bidar ruled that the Central Government was not a party to the agreement.
He ruled that Raga was protecting public funds by not paying the claims.
Raga said outside court the work in the provincial government would continue.
“I have to now concentrate on my work. This issue has affected many of us. So it is time now to clean up and put the house in order,” he said.
“I thank the people who supported me.
“What I did was simply to protect the money of the people of Central.”