Man awaits sentence over unlawful use of district vehicle

The National National

By BEVERLY PETER
FORMER Wapenamanda treasurer Garry Paya is expected to be sentenced next week for unlawful use of the district’s vehicle which he had transported to Port Moresby for security reasons but was using it until confiscated by police.
He was convicted by the Waigani National Court this week and is scheduled to appear on Wednesday
Acting Judge Tracy Ganaii told the court that it was impossible to believe that someone would go through the difficulties of moving a vehicle from Wapenamanda to Port Moresby for security reasons, as Paya had stated.
In convicting Paya, of Wapenamanda, Enga, Justice Ganaii said: “There may be other motives for moving the vehicle which may not be in the interest of the district.
“This has deprived the rights of the Wapenammanda district authority (DDA) to the vehicle.
“Any use of the vehicle out of the province must be sanctioned by the lawful authority.”
State alleged that Paya was employed by the Wapenamanda DDA as tressurer until Dec 18, 2019.
It was alleged that between Dec 19, 2019 and May 19, 2020, Paya transported a Wapenamanda district vehicle to Port Moresby and used it for its own purposes without the DDA’s consent.
Wapenamanda MP and chairman of the DDA Rimbik Pato filed an official complaint against Paya for keeping the vehicle unlawfully.
Police located the vehicle in Paya’s possession in Port Moresby, confiscated it and arrested him.
In his defence, Paya said the vehicle was given to him while he was the treasurer and had brought the vehicle to keep it safe until a formal handover of the position was done.
Justice Ganaii said: “State evidence on Pato’s statement shows the vehicle was moved without the DDA’s consent and there was an official handover-takeover of the position.
“In the same evidence, Pato states that the vehicle is for Wapenamanda DDA to use for the purposes of the district.
“In saying that, Pato has made it clear that he intended to take the vehicle back to the district where it belonged to and obligated to carry out its duties.”