NAC boss Kiponge, Minister Agisa charged with corruption

News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Rex Kiponge                                                                      Sekie Agisa

NAC boss Kiponge, Minister Agisa charged with corruption

PORT MORESBY: National Airports Corporation (NAC) managing-director and chief executive Rex Kiponge and Livestock Minister Sekie Agisa were yesterday (Nov 30, 2022) charged in a committal court in Waigani with corruption.

Kiponge, 47, and Agisa, 47, were charged separately under the same information.

They are alleged to have conspired to commit the offence.

The court proceedings were published by The National:

Agisa, Kiponge facing charges

December 1, 2022The NationalMain Stories

NATIONAL Airport Corporation (NAC) managing director and chief executive Rex Kiponge and Livestock Minister Sekie Agisa appeared before the Waigani Committal Court yesterday facing official corruption related charges.
Kiponge, 47, of Yawalimanda village in Kompiam, Enga and Agisa, 47, of South Fly’s Domori village, Western, were charged separately under the same information.
Police alleged that they conspired to commit the offence.
Kiponge and Agisa were charged with one count each of abuse of office, conspiracy and official corruption for allegedly facilitating an alleged attempt to remove K400,000 belonging to NAC. Magistrate Danny Wakikura then read the charges to Kiponge and Agisa and they said they had understood the charges.
Police alleged that on March 9, 2021, Agisa then Civil Aviation Minister, allegedly directed Kiponge in a letter to have the ministerial funds be transferred to another account.
Kiponge, upon Agisa’s instruction, allegedly directed his general finance manager Noreen Gugumi to make the payment to Ambe Business Consultations Ltd’s account as Agisa allegedly indicated.
Police stated that upon their investigation, Investment Promotion Authority’s (IPA) record showed that Ambe Business Consultations Ltd was closed on Sept 17, 2020, but its Kina Bank account was still operational.
Police said the Kina Bank account belonged to Judith Kakaraya whose husband Dan Kakayara was the lawyer representing Kiponge and Agisa.
It was alleged that Gugumi approved a payment of K200,000 to be transferred to Ambe Business Consultations Ltd’s account on March 26, 2021, as Kiponge allegedly directed.
However, the money was not transferred due to technical issues with the account.
It was further alleged that a second attempt was made on April 30, 2021, to transfer another K200,000 to the same account. The money never went through.
Police said the transfers were unsuccessful because the book transfer method only allowed for internal transactions between Australia-New Zealand banking accounts and not accounts with other bank.
The summary facts also showed that the NAC board did not approve any budget for 2021.
Police said there are no provisions under the Public Finance Act, Civil Aviation Act or NAC constitution allowing private firms to manage ministerial funds. Kiponge was arrested on Nov 24, and he is out on bail.
Magistrate Wakikura then adjourned Agisa’s case to Jan 26 and Kiponge’s to Dec 12.
Meanwhile, Kiponge is facing another charge for breaching Civil Aviation Act in relation to the aerodrome operating certificate for Nadzab Airport in Lae and Kiunga Airport in Western.
Wakikura said he would deal with the breaching of Civil Aviation Act in the district court to determine whether he was guilty or not.
He ordered Kiponge to return today to deal with the charge of breaching Civil Aviation Act.

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