Sheppard’s arrest was politically motivated, lawyer says

By KARO JESSE
LAST week’s arrest of Greg Sheppard, of Young and Williams Lawyers, was politically motivated, a fellow lawyer says.
Sheppard was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly involved in a fraud of K268 million belonging to Western province people’s dividends community mine continuation agreement trust funds.
He was charged with two counts each of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.
Sheppard was later released on a K3,000 bail. Lawyer Philip Tabuchi, a partner in the firm, told The National that the charges would be vigorously defended because it was politically-driven due to the Government’s failure in court.
Tabuchi claimed that Sheppard was arrested after he successfully fought on behalf of the OK Tedi Fly River Development Foundation Ltd (OTFRDF) and reclaimed funds from the Government, which belonged to the people of the polluted region in Western whose lives were devastated by the OK Tedi mine.
“After our successful litigation, we obtained court orders which allowed our client (OTFRDF) to take control of these funds” he said.
“We have acted under the instruction of our client at all times and all transactions have been in accordance with the court order.
“Young and Williams is the only major law firm in PNG that does not work for the Government, and as such, we are one of the law firms willing to take legal action against the Government on behalf of clients.”
A statement released by the Office of the Police Commissioner, David Manning, stated that the special police forensic criminal investigators alleged that two transactions totalling K52 million were paid to Young and Williams Lawyers’ account and three transactions of K216 million paid into the OTFRDF account.
Comm Manning said investigations were continuing and other suspects would be brought in for inquiry into their involvement in the alleged fraud.
The statement further stated that there would be a detailed forensic investigation into the appointments of the OTFRDF directors, the expenditure of the K268 million which police claimed was not authorised by the trust and bank accounts held by the foundation’s directors and Young and Williams.
These include forwarding proceeds from the K268 million to personal bank accounts of OTFRDF directors or employees.