Tiensten to make submission on fraud case

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Friday February 21st, 2014

 POMIO MP Paul Tiensten convicted of fraud-related charges will make his submission before sentencing at the Waigani National Court on March 3.

The matter listed for yesterday was deferred after Tiensten’s lawyer Francis Griffin sought an adjournment to prepare the submission.

Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Sailka granted the application for adjournment. 

Tiensten is out on extended bail and will continue to perform his role as MP pending the sentencing.

The National Court last year found Tiensten guilty of misappropriating K10 million of public funds which was paid to local airline company Travel Air.

Tiensten from Sampon Village, in Pomio, East New Britain, was the Minister for National Planning when he committed the offence.  

The court ruled that Tiensten knew or ought to have known that his direction or directive to the acting secretary of the department to facilitate the payment of K10 million was wrong.

Griffin asked the court yesterday to adjourn the matter to April to give him time to read through the 400-page trial transcripts and to look into engaging an overseas lawyer. 

He said he only received the transcripts on Wednesday. 

State prosecutor Anthony Kupmain objected to the adjournment saying the outcome of the matter had to be determined as soon as possible in the public interest.