Namah sought
The National, Wednesday 5th June 2013
OPPOSITION leader Belden Namah is expected to attend an interview with police at the fraud squad office in Port Moresby today to answer questions pertaining to an alleged misappropriation of funds.
In a letter addressed to the Namah dated May 31, acting Assistant Commissioner Criminal Investigation Division Chief Supt Mark Kanawi said the meeting was in relation to an alleged misappropriation of K9,996,885 allocated for the construction of the Pasir-Krisha road project in West Sepik.
Fraud squad officers yesterday confirmed delivering the letter to Namah’s office.
Namah, the MP for Vanimo-Green, was reportedly out of Port Moresby yesterday but his media office said he had prepared a rebuttal and would email it to The National.
Namah’s woes, from dwindling numbers on the Opposition bench to mounting legal cases, seem to be increasing.
The Speaker of Parliament referred him during the last sitting to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee to answer charges of allegedly breaching standing orders and parliamentary decorum in tabling a letter purportedly written by the prime minister – and which the prime minister has since denied signing – authorising payment from Finance Department.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has also filed a defamation suit against Namah for comments he made against him in Lae.
Namah has promised to fight stoutly on all fronts.
In the police fraud squad letter seen by The National, Kanawi told Namah: “An allegation of misappropriation of funds was received and registered by this office, reference number FCR 152/2012.
“It is alleged the log export development levy (LEDL) trust funds totalling K9,996,885 was misappropriated between June and December 2012.
“Your attendance would be to assist the investigation team establish the truth.
“Therefore, your presence on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, would be highly appreciated.”
According to the documents provided, the Pasir-Krisha road project payment was made to a Port Moresby company.
A brief prepared by landowners of Nigera village in Ward Seven stated that the K9.997 million was meant for infrastructure development in logging project areas.