Out of touch, case struck out

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
COMMUNICATION breakdown between fraud detectives and State prosecutors caused the National Court to strike out a case involving allegations of misappropriation of K6 million of public funds in Western, national fraud and anti-corruption director Chief Supt Mathew Damaru says.
“The National Court in Daru struck out the case against Andrew Marubu who is on trial for allegedly misappropriating K6 million belonging to the South Fly District,” Chief Supt Damaru said.
Marubu is the former first secretary of former South Fly MP Sali Subam who was allegedly involved in diverting K6 million to a building supplier without consulting the then members of the joint district budget priority committee (now known as district development authority).
Chief Supt Damaru said the Public Prosecutor’s Office did not advise his office about the trial date and that was why they did not turn up in court in Daru in March to help prosecute Marubu.
“That’s why the court struck out the case,” he said.
“His co-accused is former South Fly MP Sali Subam, Kiriwina-Goodenough MP Douglas Tomuriesa and Douglas’s wife Rachael who are still appearing before the Waigani District Court for committal proceedings.”
Damaru said yesterday that they had established communication with the Public Prosecutor’s Office to re-apply to the National Court to set a new date to continue with the trial.
Marubu, from Bela village, Mendi, Southern Highlands, was formerly employed by the National Parliament as Subam’s first secretary.
He was arrested and charged in 2017.
However, the case was struck out due to want of prosecution after fraud detectives did not complete their file in time.
Marubu was re-arrested on Sept 2, 2017 after his file was completed and his case was again before the district court for committal proceedings.
The District Court then found sufficient evidence to commit him to stand trial on Sept 12, 2019.
It was alleged that in October 2011, the Finance Department allocated K6 million to South Fly under the supplementary budget for construction of health workers’ houses in the district.
However, that money was allegedly misappropriated.