Gulf administrator on K131,000 misappropriation charge

By JUNIOR UKAHA
ACTING Gulf provincial administrator Simon Peter has been charged with misappropriating more than K131,000 from the provincial account, The National reports.
Peter, 42, from Passam village in Wewak, East Sepik, was arrested by NCD police yesterday in Port Moresby.
He is understood to have been detained at the Boroko police cells awaiting his court appearance this week.
According to police briefs, Peter was alleged to have authorised payments to Gulf Governor Havila Kavo the money for personal emoluments from resources memorandum of agreement (MoA) funds in the provincial accounts between January and February last year.
The purpose of the payments to Kavo was not disclosed by police but investigators asserted that it was illegal for the provincial administrator to draw money from the province’s account to pay the politician when he (governor) was already on a parliamentary payroll.
It was understood that the Gulf provincial administration was operating on an ad hoc basis out of Port Moresby since last year.
NCD metropolitan commander Supt Joseph Tondop confirmed the arrest and said that it was unfortunate that people vested with trust and authority should betray their position and do selfish acts.
“Police have been working on the case and the arrest is a result of their investigations,” Tondop said.
He said he was not certain whether the provincial administrator and his team were operating in Port Moresby or in Kerema but said the suspect was apprehended by police in NCD.
Attempts by The National to get comments from Kavo were unsuccessful.