MP’s wife charged with laundering K2.6 million

THE wife of Kiriwina-Goodenough MP Douglas Tomuriesa has been charged with misappropriating and laundering K2.6 million intended for the upgrading of deteriorating health infrastructures in remote areas of Western.
“Investigations are continuing and more arrests are expected to be made soon in this case,” National Fraud and Anti-Corruption director Mathew Damaru said.
Damaru said they conducted investigations upon complaint by former chief secretary, the late Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc, when he was the acting Finance secretary, in a letter to police dated July 24, 2013.
The misappropriation and laundering occurred in Oct 2011.
Rachael Tomuriesa, 52, of Kolonoboi village, New Ireland, works as a personal assistant in the Office of the Prime Minister and is a company director and shareholder in a family business involved in building and construction.
It is that alleged that in Oct 2011, the Finance Department allocated K6 million to South Fly under the supplementary budget for the construction of health workers’ houses in the district.
The K6 million was remitted to South Fly Treasury account.
Four officers of technical evaluation committee denied involvement.