Wartoto court case to resume

 The National Court trial of businessman Eremas Wartoto on charges of misappropriation in relation to K7.9 million belonging to the State is expected to resume on Monday.

Justice George Manuhu made this known three days into the East New Briton’s trial which began last Monday, saying the adjournment was to allow for the Supreme Court Week this week.

Wartoto pleaded not guilty to two counts of misappropriation in relation to dishonestly applying K6,791,408.20 and K1,197,483.80 to his own use and the use of others between 2009 and 2010 as alleged by the State prosecution.

The money was from a contract won by the defendant’s company, Sarakolok West Transport Limited, intended to rehabilitate infrastructure at Kerevat National High School. 

During the trial last week, Wartoto’s lawyer Justin Haiara moved an application to have the indictment  – handed to the court by the State prosecution – quashed on the basis that it was written in such a manner to embarrass the defendant.

The application was, however, refused by Manuhu.

Haiara argued that whether or not the work done by his client’s company on the school was incomplete and substandard was not the matter, as the issue was that his client had done the work.