Money enough only to probe four of 110 fraud cases

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     Police Comm David Manning                              Chief Supt Matthew Damaru

Money enough only to probe four of 110 fraud cases

PORT MORESBY: The police fraud and anti-corruption directorate was allocated only K350,000 of the K1.2 million it had requested.

The allocation is only enough for it to investigate four of the 110 cases.

What do you Papua New Guineans think?

Here the news break published by The National:

Fraud unit needs K1.2m

May 18, 2021The NationalMain Stories

Only K350,000 given – enough to probe four of 110 cases

Matthew Damaru

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
THE police national fraud and anti-corruption directorate needs more funds to investigate the 110 cases on its table, after being allocated only K350,000 of the K1.2 million it had requested for.
The directorate’s director, Chief Supt Matthew Damaru, told The National that they could only investigate four of the 110 cases from the money they had been allocated.
“In previous years, our budget was K1.2 million.
“For 2021, we have been allocated K350,000 (which) can only cover four investigations to be completed,” he said.
“Unlike other investigative units in provinces, the directorate has to follow the money trail.
“It means we have to travel to other provinces to get information.
“At times, we will have to travel to provinces to arrest the suspects.”
Police Minister William Onglo said while there were budget cuts within the constabulary, they would “ensure that there is enough money allocated to each of the police units to ensure work continues”.

David Manning

Police Commissioner David Manning agreed that the fraud directorate had “genuine concerns that need to be addressed”.
“When they raise it with my office, I will most definitely ask for more funding,” he said.
“We will work within the budget allocated to ensure police operations continue.”
Manning said he had to balance the funding needs of the constabulary with the nation in general “knowing that in 2021, the Government would find it considerably more difficult to grant funding increases while achieving its fiscal responsibility targets”.
“Excluding funds requested to prepare the (police force) for the 2022 national election, we requested for less funding in the 2021 recurrent budget (K381.4 million) than it expects to spend during 2020 (K397.7 million),” he said.
“The 2021 Budget was built on a principled approach that ensures the maximum beneficial impact for every Kina.
“Not only have we tied every Kina to an output via the use of activity management plans, but we also resolved not to ask for additional funds to support business areas that lack credible governance.”
Chief Supt Damaru said they had received 110 complaints so far.
“In 2020 we received 558 complaints – 35 of them dealt with money amounting to more than K1 million,” Damaru said.
“In 2021, from the 110 cases reported so far, eight (involve money) worth over K1 million.
“We will continue to work but that’s what we can do within 2021.”
From 2017 to 2020, they were 43 fraud cases that went to the committal court, with 28 still pending.
Ten cases have been committed for trial in the National Court.
Two have been convicted and sentenced.
Three are awaiting sentencing.