Manus man in court on multiple charges

A MAN charged with misappropriation, false pretence and conspiracy to defraud the state of K4 million will appear in the Waigani Committal Court on Friday for ruling.
He also faces a separate charge of obtaining K6 million by false
pretence for which he has been committed for trial on Sept 15 at Waigani too.
Police alleged that David Pondros, 47, of Timoenai village in Manus and who owns and manages David Consultants and Associates consulting firm, received K4 million from the Ijivitari open electorate in Northern to carry out a feasibility study for the construction of jetties and wharves.
Police alleged the K4 million was paid to him between June and December in 2007 but he did not conduct any feasibility study for eventual construction of wharves and jetties.
The K4 million was allocated to Ijivitari under its district infrastructure improvement programme.
Pondros appeared before magistrate Rosie Johnson with his lawyer last Friday but the case was adjourned to this Friday for ruling.
Johnson told Pondros that his lawyer had filed his submissions and the prosecution had filed its submissions as well.
“The court will peruse the submissions and make a ruling on Friday (this week),” she told Pondros.
In the meantime, Pondros has been committed to stand trial on Sept 15 on another alleged misappropriation case.
This involves K6 million meant for the Pomio Integrated Coconut Development project in East New Britain.
He was committed after the Waigani Committal Court principal magistrate Cosmas Bidar found sufficient evidence for trial in the higher court.
Pondros faces three counts of misappropriation and a count of stealing by false pretence in relation to the K6 million.
He is on K5,000 court bail.