PM to appear as witness in O’Neill’s trial

PRIME Minister James Marape is expected to appear as a witness today in a trial over alleged abuse of office by his predecessor Peter O’Neill for allegedly directing payment of K50 million to an Israeli company to buy two diesel generators in 2013.
Marape is to be cross-examined by O’Neill’s lawyer Greg Sheppard and the public prosecutor to provide evidence to the court.
O’Neill is standing trial in the Waigani National Court over allegations of abuse of office for allegedly directing the payment of K50 million through Treasury on Dec 4, 2013, to buy two 15-megawatt diesel turbine power generators from LR Group Ltd for PNG Power Ltd.
The allegation is that O’Neill directed the K50 million payment for the purchase without proper approval and existence of proper contract of sale between PNG Power and the Israeli company.
Last week, Kandep MP Don Polye, Petroleum Minister Kerenga Kua, former PNG Power chief executive officer John Tangit, deputy governor of Bank of Papua New Guinea Joe Teria and investigative officers from fraud unit were called as witnesses in the case.