MP committed to stand trial for preventing investigation

National

CHUAVE MP Wera Mori,  has been committed to stand trial at the National Court for preventing a joint police-Ombudsman Commission team from investigating police officers allegedly hired by him, Kundiawa District Court Magistrate John Usik said yesterday.
Mori, 55, from Tokoma village, Chuave, Chimbu, was committed by the district court last month to stand trial on charges of official corruption, armed robbery and obstructing police.
Mori is now on K1000 bail.
His co-accused,  former Chimbu police commander Supt Albert Beli from Handra village, Kubalia district, East Sepik and  Detective Sergeant Timothy Simia, 43, from Sangriman village, Angoram District, East Sepik, have also been committed to stand trial before the same court with similar charges.
Meanwhile,  the district court acquitted National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Detective First Constable David Tololo, 40, from Malaguna 1 village, Rabaul district ,East New Britain, and retrenched police officer Joe Brawa, 59, from Gomia village, Chuave district, Chimbu.
The court dismissed their break-and-enter charges for lack of evidence.
According to a police internal affairs brief, Mori was accused of instructing Chuave district administrator Michael Aglua, Beli and Simbia to prevent the joint police-Ombudsman Commission team from entering the district treasury office to obtain documents on June 29, 2015.   The team was in Chuave to investigate Tololo, who was allegedly involved in an unsanctioned investigation on former Chuave MP Jim Nomane in 2013.
Tololo was on leave and did not obtain approval from his director, Chief Supt Mathew Damaru, to investigate Nomane.