Marape imposter nabbed

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

POLICE have arrested a man who tried to obtain K2,000 from a pastor by pretending to be finance minister James Marape.

Metropolitan Supt Andy Bawa said in addition they were looking for a University of Papua New Guinea student who they believed was involved in a syndicate. 

Police are looking for others involved in the syndicate who were known to the force.

Bawa said they arrested the man who went around using the nickname King David last Friday. 

The alleged fraudster had pretended to be Finance Minister James Marape and tried to take money from a pastor.

The man had been arrested earlier for impersonating former National Planning secretary Joseph Lelang.

Bawa said the man was about to defraud Pastor Godfred Wippon last Tuesday. 

He told Wippon he would help him in funding his healing crusade in Kimbe, West New Britain, with K50,000.

Marape and his helpers with the help of the pastor caught the man and three others in a vehicle with tinted windows at Manu market where the cash and a cheque were to have been exchanged.

Marape has warned people to be wary of those trying to take money off them.

He said the conmen had being impersonating many simple people and illegally getting money by pretending that their proposal or documents seeking government financing had been approved.

He said a similar incident happened to a teacher in Eastern Highlands who was robbed of K15,000.

He thanked Bawa and his men for arresting the man.

He said government ministers did not have representatives going around collecting money from people.