MP Mori to appear in court

By CLIFFFORD FAIPARIK
CHUAVE MP Wera Mori has been charged with eight counts of preventing a joint police – Ombudsman Commission team from investigating police officers allegedly hired by him.
Police Internal Affairs director Chief Supt  Robert Ali said Mori, 55, from Tokoma village, Chuave, Chimbu, was charged with official corruption, armed robbery,  obstruction of police duties, depriving of liberty,  perverting the course of justice, break and enter and stealing and causing disaffection within the Police Force.
Mori was arrested and charged on Saturday and detained at the Boroko Police Station cells.
He was released on K1000 bail and is expected to appear before the Waigani District Court this week for mention. According to an Internal Affairs brief, Mori was accused of communicating on mobile phone to instruct Chuave district administrator Michael Aglua, sidelined provincial police commander Supt Albert Beli and detective Senior Constable Timothy 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 a National Fraud and Anti Corruption officer, First Constable David 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.
He was allegedly paid from public funds from the district treasury office to conduct the unsanctioned investigation on Mori’s request. The team then returned to Port Moresby and took out a warrant of arrest to arrest and charge Mori for preventing them from obtaining the documents.
Beli and Simbia were committed by the Kundiawa District Court on the Jan 12 to stand trial in the National Court.