Potape denies theft of K330,000

KOMO-Margarima MP Francis Potape has pleaded not guilty to two counts of misappropriation involving K330,000 belonging to the electorate and the State.
National court judge Justice George Manuhu read the charges to Potape yesterday during his retrial.
It was alleged that between Nov 1 and 30, 2010, Potape dishonestly applied to his own use the sum of K60,000 and dishonestly applied to the use of others the sum of K270,000.
The money belonged to the Komo-Margarima district and the State
The State alleged that Potape, as the Komo-Margarima MP and chairman of the joint district planning and budget priority committee, chaired a meeting on November 20, 2010, where a resolution was passed to increase the sitting allowances for the chairman and committee members.
It was alleged that a decision was made to increase the sitting allowance for the chairman from K50 per day to K5,000, and the committee members from K25 per day to K2,500.
The members in the committee were local level government presidents plus three members representing businesses, women and youths, and churches