Charges against Imelda Agon dismissed
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
Charges against Imelda Agon dismissed
PORT MORESBY: Misappropriation and abuse of office charges against
National Gaming and Control Board chief executive officer Imelda Agon were
yesterday dismissed by the Waigani committal court.
Magistrate Paul Nii said evidence provided by police
was insufficient to commit Agon, 49, of Lafu village, Kavieng, New Ireland.
Details of the court proceedings were published by The National:
Agon cleared,
charges dropped
January 18, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
By CLARISSA MOI
Misappropriation and abuse of office charges against National Gaming and
Control Board (NGCB) chief executive officer Imelda Agon were yesterday
dismissed by the Waigani Committal Court.
Magistrate Paul Nii said evidence provided by police was insufficient to commit
Agon, 49, of Lafu village, Kavieng, New Ireland.
He said the police file had not shown any evidence of discussions by Agon that
had directed payment to the Madang treasury account or of asking former prime
minister Peter O’Neill and NGCB chairman Quentin Cholai for the funds to be
diverted.
“Evidence shows the control of funds was between the former prime minister
(O’Neill), former Madang MP Nixon Duban, Cholai and through the trustee
members: deputy chairman Gregory Melides, trustees Ni Cragnolini and Oscar
Yamuna.”
Police alleged that in December 2011, a project submission of K1.2 million for
the Yagaum Health Centre was submitted to the NGCB which paid an initial
K300,000 to the hospital’s bank account on May 2, 2012.
However, police alleged that of the K900,000 approved for the centre, K300,000
was paid into its account and K600,000 was diverted to the account of the
Madang treasury.
Police alleged that the funds that were paid to the Madang treasury were
supposed to be for Yagaum Health Centre but Agon had allowed the funds to be
diverted and she was arrested for conspiracy, abuse of office and
misappropriation.
The court upheld an application by police prosecutor Sergeant Chris Iga and
withdrew the charge of conspiracy to defraud last Sept 1.
Agon’s lawyer Philip Tabuchi submitted that State witnesses had failed to
connect Agon to the charges against her and had instead implicated Duban.
Magistrate Nii found no evidence that showed the defendant directed the NGCB to
divert funds for the Yagaum hospital to the Madang treasury account. “On this
basis, it is my decision that evidence is insufficient to make a case against
the defendant for the charge of misappropriation that the defendant had
dishonestly applied K600,000 of State money to the use of the former MP for
Madang and, therefore, the charge of misappropriation is dismissed,” he said.
Magistrate Nii said although there was no evidence of Agon’s direct
participation in the approval of the initial proposal for funding and diversion
of funds to Madang treasury account, her participation was deemed as being
directed by the board.
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