Trio charged with aiding ship escape

By ELIZABETH VUVU

 

EAST New Britain police have arrested two senior male officers from a shipping agent and a senior female customs officer with aiding in the illegal departure of vessel UBT Fjord, which was alleged to have stolen crude oil worth K14.5 million from Autonomous Region of Bougainville, The National reports.

ENB police commander Supt Sylvester Kalaut said Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) manager Davis Tumari from Tufi along with his officer Jack Puipui from Matupit were charged with aiding the Captain of the ship, Ye Wi Aung.

Since both men were also held liable for stealing, they were charged under Section 7 of the Criminal Act. Both were arrested and are still in police custody.

A senior exports officer with Customs in Kokopo, Pirita ToBung, was also arrested and charged with aiding as she had signed and stamped the documents provided by ISS and thus giving it lawful authority.

She is out on K2, 000 bail and will appear before the Kokopo district court for mention today (Thursday).

Kalaut said Ubt Fjord’s company in Singapore had emailed ISS requesting for 55 metric tonnes of fuel oil for the vessel.

ISS filled in the forms and took to Customs to sign which was later given to Islands Petroleum depot in Rabaul to give this amount of fuel.

On Dec 22 last year this fuel was given to the crew on the ship. The ship then reportedly sneaked out of the Simpson Harbour last Saturday.

Kalaut said due to the vessel leaving the country’s shores, the State had been permanently deprived of the use of the crude oil as State property.

He said the two officers from ISS had not even informed authorities formally when this fuel was given to the crew on the vessel.

It is understood, the National Fisheries Authority had alerted fishing vessels out in at sea to look out for the vessel.