NHC official’s case adjourned

By BOURA GORUKILA
NATIONAL Housing Corporation (NHC) managing director Elizabeth Bowada will return to court on Nov 10 for defence submissions after her lawyer was granted time to finalise her submissions.
Chief Magistrate in the Waigani Committal Court Mark Pupaka allowed two weeks for Bowada’s lawyer to complete the submissions and extended her bail.
Bowada, 41, of Okaikado village in Losuia, Milne Bay, is facing three charges, a count each of misappropriation, false pretence and abuse of office.
According to police files, Bowada is alleged to have between April 24, 2018, and Jan 15, dishonestly applied to her own use K118,486.01 belonging to NHC.
She allegedly pretended that she was reinstated by the higher courts and obtained from NHC seven different Bank South Pacific cheques totalling K19,000 and other payments totalling K99,468.01 which totalled K118,468.01.
Bowada lodged a false claim and paid herself K156,983.67 for loss of salaries.
She was alleged to have illegally facilitated the sale of two NHC prime properties and applied to her own use K118,468.01 without being reinstated.
Bowada was interviewed at the fraud office for a record of interview, then was formally arrested and charged and later released on bail.
The complainant is the NHC board secretary.