PNGi INVESTIGATES
The Fraud PNGi Couldnt Report! The Case of Self-Dealing in the Lands Department
...Now here is where things get a little more suspect. The land was then granted to Mr Michael Jalbaring, a Department of Lands and Physical Planning employee. The Lands Minister exempted the land from advertisement, according to the court, on the basis of bad-advice from the Lands Department. The gazettal notice states: “I HON. JOHN ROSS, MP Minister for Lands...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Authorities ignore serious fraud allegations at the Livestock Development Corporation
...but since its acquisition it has been sitting idle. It is alleged the machine, although purchased ‘as new’ was in fact substandard, overvalued and non-functional Minister’s double-dipping It is alleged that in October 2020 a total of K194,730 was paid by the Livestock Development Corporation to import a car for then Agriculture Minister John Simon. The invoice and payment voucher...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Scramble for Bougainville’s Resources: A Window Into Mineral Exploration Culture
...to have come from a group called Panguna Tangku-urang Chiefs. Initially Caballus Mining had backing from the ABG under then President John Momis. However, following the election of Ishmael Toroama in 2020 that support appears to have been withdrawn. Yet another player in Bougainville mineral exploration is the Nevada (USA) registered company Numa Numa Resources. A 2021 investor presentation indicates...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Election managers jailing a salient and timely warning
...for that purpose were only released on 14 July 2017. This evidence was confirmed in an uncertified statement from John Kalatora, Deputy Electoral Commissioner. He also stated the K184,300 in cash was not from the Electoral Commission. Sylvester Kalaut, then Assistant Commissioner for Police, stated he was involved in the initial interview of Hetinu at Boroko police station. He sighted...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Allegations of Serious Mismanagement at Kumul Agriculture
...statements also disclose the following payments to other executives within KAL who are not also Directors (thus it excludes Jones), which are stated to be George Brugh (General Manager), Ram Kumar (Operations Manager) and John Wilshere (Stakeholder Manager). It also appears that Arthur Jones OBE benefited from payments made by KAL to Commodity Management Partners Limited (CMPL), a company which...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
UBS loan was an ‘unnecessary disaster’ for PNG and its people
...Nothing is known about the Sawmill Trust or Bruce Henry. There is a John J Mack who is an investment advisor from the United States and former CEO of Morgan Stanley bank, but there is no evidence to say he is the same John J Mack listed as a beneficiary of the payments by Oil Search. Polygon PNG LG is...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
More logging industry abuses exposed, this time in New Ireland
...more than US$65 million from the island, but no rubber has ever been exported. According to officials, the rubber trees that were planted were of the wrong species, and according to local John Aini, the whole project was “chaos”. “No one really cared if the rubber trees would grow; it was the logs they wanted.” Instead of long-term incomes from...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Foul Play Alleged in Census 2021 Contract Award
...name Waeks Aleu has a Facebook page, his friends includes John Igitoi and several other individuals with the family name Igitoi. At the moment, there is not enough evidence available on the public record to substantiate the allegations against John Igitoi. There are some red flags surrounding this tender award to Wakale Stationary, but not enough evidence yet to infer...
THE COURT REPORT
Chief Justice slams police over failure to investigate former NHC boss John Dege
...Temu claims she genuinely thought she had legally acquired the lease from John Dege, NHC’s then Managing Director, and Gabriel Gore, the NHC’s then Principle Legal Officer. Temu argues ‘she was asked to pay K30,000 for the State Lease and to have the Transfer Deed done by the former Managing Director of NHC, Mr John Dege’. Unfortunately, the court notes,...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
The ANZ Bank Statement at the Centre of PNG’s Largest Misappropriation Case
...Mining project, through its account at ANZ bank. Police Commissioner David Manning, who headed the special investigation, asserts that the Trust Fund was established through a Trust Instrument signed off by John Hickey MP. Under the Trust instrument the funds held with ANZ are to be applied for the specific purpose of delivering authorised projects for communities covered by the...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Yama fails in latest bid to quash criminal charges
...sought an order to ‘restrain the police from inviting, interviewing, arresting or attempting to arrest him pending the determination of the appeal’. The Supreme Court again dismissed Yama’s request. When the case did eventually come before the Madang District Court, the charges against Yama were dismissed for a lack of evidence. Rather ironically then, while the bribe takers, John Tumaing...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Landowner funds flushed down broken corporate pipes
...Governor Havila Kavo, Governor Anderson Agiru, Governor William Powi, Abraham Murepe, Rendle Rimua, John Natto, John Yawari, and Mark Sakai. This raises serious questions over whether individuals appointed to the board of a fund manager for landowners, on the basis of their public position rather than private expertise, ought to be earning any additional remuneration for this public service role....
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Minister’s hotcakes rot in a warehouse while his star continues to shine
...supercars than in a stinking hot warehouse right next to the seafront in a tropical city where people struggle to make ends meet. In its growing desperation to offload the cars, the PNG Finance Minister, John Pundari, has recently announced any unsold Maserati’s will be offered to PNG’s overseas missions and the remainder will be retained by the government for...
THE COURT REPORT
NHC Targets Grieving Widow in Illegal Sell Off to Foreign Businessperson
...homeless. According Mei Lin her company KC2 Ltd also purchased a second Lae property from the NHC, again for the exact same price of K350,000. All of this was signed off, Mei Lin maintains, by John Dege the then NHC Managing Director. Prior to completion of the purchase, the courts contend, Mei Lin failed to conduct adequate due diligence to...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Australian Aristocrats and Sir Ted Diro at the Centre of ‘Massive Fraud’ Allegations
...history begins in 2001 when the plantations owner, Koitaki Plantation Limited, was acquired by the foreign company, Nominee Trustees (NZ) Limited. Nominee Trustees (NZ) Limited was owned at the time by John Graham Cumming a New Zealand national based in Acacia Bay. According to a New Zealand media report from this period, Cumming has been banned by the New Zealand...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Is Ihu SEZ a new honey pot for rent seekers and profiteers?
...Company that is managing the project. Eo’o was also correct to say that Ihu Special Economic Zone Development Company is 100% owned by Direco Services Limited. That is not though the end the ownership chain. Direco Limited is, in turn, 100% owned by Genesis Resources Limited and Genesis is in turn jointly owned by Peter KenGemar, John Pipai and Philip...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
An Inquiry Into The Gerehu Recreational Land Grab
...the issuing of a State lease in 2015. They also did nothing to challenge the lease, when, in 2015, Konda’lane made an application to the NCD Physical Planning Board, which is chaired by Parkop, for permission to fence the land. Meanwhile, Lands Minister John Rosso, and his Department, seem to have a different take on the matter. They are seeking...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
Sand mining plans littered with red flags
...and maintained a diplomatic office in his company HQ in Singapore. 4). The Ong’s previously announced plans to set up a heavy equipment assembly factory in Madang were never realised. 5). The Ong’s agent in PNG, John Kambual had his Powerplus agency liquidated by the courts. 6). The Ongs have courted high-profile political friends and funded expensive junket trips to...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
MRA accused of steamrolling sand mining approval
...application, it is natural to ask whether it is pure coincidence that a company majority owned by the family behind Powerplus, is now pursuing a sand mining exploration licence in their Province? LIQUIDATED There was another guest from PNG at the October 2016 Powerplus Group launch in Singapore, Madang based businessman John Kambual. Among the businesses Kambual owns is Powerplus...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Was Peter Graham right to slam PM Marape over Kumul Minerals Board Shake-Up?
...Mako John Kuwimb, Marjella Meles and Nelly James. Given the abrupt nature with which they were appointed, which appears to have taken place without adequate consultation, does this list raise any red flags? Aho Nollen Baliki lists his residence as Harbourview penthouse apartments in Paga Hill. Apartments in the complex currently rent at K5,500 per week. Until 2019 Aho Baliki...
PNGi INVESTIGATES
K53 Million in Health Dept Contracts Go To Gang of Red Flag Firms: Part I
...the Central Supply and Tender Board and NEC. This is the first red flag. Turning then to Investment Promotion Authority filings. Gold Bell Constructions is a registered business name. During 2013 it was owned by a Mr John Sia and Margaret John Gabriel. John Sia also co-owns Asia Pacific Investments with Simon Sia, which trades under the name Bintangor Trading....
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Djoko Tjandra Arrested in Malaysia, the Fugitive PNG Politicians Protected
...Kalinoe Hon Ano Pala Manasupe Zurenuoc, OBE Hon James Marape Hon Kerenga Kua, MP Hon Patrick Pruaitch Constable Davis A. Evari Hon John Pundari Acting Chief Sergeant Kasa Wumber Hon Matthew Poia R. Nenta, OBE, QPM (NIO) Mataio Rabura Robert Akunaii Sir Nagora Y. Bogan Hon Gary Juffa Anton Benjamin Rimbink Pato Donald Foo Despite obtaining PNG citizenship, it was...
THE TOKAUT BLOG
Key facts behind mysterious plane crash
Update 30/7/20: News reports state the pilot of the crashed Cessna light aircraft is David John Cutmore. Media reports from 1995 state that an individual with the same name was jailed in New Zealand for bird smuggling. He was dubbed the ‘bumbling birdman’ after ‘he was in a rented light plane close to Lord Howe Island on a hair-raising trip...
THE COURT REPORT
Fraudulent land titles continue to rot the nation
...the entries in the Register of Lands recording the company as the owner of the plots of land. With this evidence now a matter of public record, along with the Judge’s conclusion describing this as a strong case of fraud, will the police initiate a criminal investigation? Will the Lands Minister, John Rosso, take any internal action against the Registrar...