NHC staff facing several charges

By SCHOLAR KASSAS
A NATIONAL Housing Corporation (NHC) employee faced court yesterday charged with false pretence, abuse of office and wilful damage.
Magistrate Paul Puri Nii presiding over the Waigani Committal Court read out the charges to John Gene, 42, from Korowai village, in Chimbu, and fixed June 30 for mention.
Court documents stated that on May 23, 2013, Gene was on work duty in Eastern Highlands, when he approached the complainant John Mipo and asked for a vehicle and K2,000 cash money.
Mipo offered him the money and his family Ford Ranger valued at more than K80,000.
Gene had already known the interest shown by Mipo in purchasing a NHC property in Goroka town and requested for a vehicle and money to facilitate sale.
After the vehicle and cash were given, Gene was involved in an accident in which he crashed it along the Chimbu section of the Highlands Highway.
The vehicle was damaged beyond repair.
The traffic police attended to the scene and took Gene to Goroka police station and he was detained in a cell.
Gene asked to be released to return to Port Moresby and he would meet all expenses relating to the damaged vehicle to which Mipo agreed.
Since then, however, Gene had allegedly avoided contact with Mipo and did not meet with Mipo despite the complainant making several trips to Port Moresby to see him about his payment.
Gene was eventually arrested and charged after Criminal Investigation Division officers from Eastern Highlands formally requested assistance from CID NCD.
Gene was arrested on May 10, 2022, at NHC headquarters in Tokarara questioned and charged.