Woman’s bail appeal refused

By GIDEON KINDIWA
THE Waigani National Court has refused a bail application by a woman who was sentenced to six years imprisonment for misappropriating K500,000 of public funds.
Tracey Tiran, 47, from Pak Island, Manus, applied for bail based on medical grounds.
Her lawyer said she was under a serious medical condition that needed attention outside of prison.
He supported his submission by providing a medical certificate signed by Dr Mathias Sapuri, from Pacific International Hospital, in Port Moresby.
Justice Teresa Berrigan refused the application, saying there were no exceptional grounds stated and Tiran could receive medical treatment while in detention.
Tiran was admitted at the Port Moresby General Hospital where she was assisted.
Her lawyer argued that she needed to be bailed out because she would undergo surgery, according to Sapuri’s report.
A lawyer from the Public Solicitor’s Office objected to bail, stating there was nothing extraordinary about the medical condition, and she could be admitted for treatment or undergo surgery while in imprisonment.
Tiran was the director of her company, Sites Up Services Ltd, at the time of the crime.
She set up the company and applied for Government funding of K500,000 for a coconut project in Manus.
The money was deposited into the company’s account but was not used for its intended purpose and the project was not set up.
The crime was committed between June and Oct 2010, with the help of two others from the Department of National Planning and Monitoring.
One of the men involved was former minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Paul Tiensten, who is in prison.
Tiran was convicted and sentenced on July 25 last year.