Wartoto faces fresh charges

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

BUSINESSMAN Eremas Wartoto (pictured) is facing further fraud-related charges in connection with a K4.8 million Government funding allocated to purchase a vessel in Kokopo.

Task Force Sweep team chairman Sam Koim said the additional charges involved the use of the K4.8 million paid by the Department of National Planning and Monitoring in March 2010 to purchase the mv Warakalap for Kokopo district under the coastal vessels programme. 

Koim said in a statement it was part of the rural development programme for coastal areas to improve marine transportation system. 

He said the idea was to provide cost-effective and appropriate shipping services to people in the rural areas.

He claimed that the money was paid to Wartoto’s company known as Sarakolok West Transport Ltd for the vessel to be purchased and delivered to the Kokopo district. 

But after its purchase, the vessel was sold to a company called Tol Coastal Shipping Services Ltd.

Koim claimed that the vessel was used for commercial activities and not for the intended purposes, “nor is it benefiting the people of Kokopo district”.

He said Wartoto was charged with one count of misappropriation and one count of stealing by false pretence.  This brings to six the number of cases Wartoto faces in court on various fraud-related matters.