Madang Provincial Administrator arrested on Corruption and Misappropriation charges

THE former Madang Provincial Administrator Ben Lange has been arrested for allegedly committing fraudulent and corrupt practices whilst in office.

The announcement was made during a press conference yesterday at Madang’s Provincial Administration Office by National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate Officer in Charge Inspector Joel Simatab.

Mr Lange was arrested on three charges, namely; Abuse of Office, Official Corruption and the Misappropriation of approximately K452 000.

The former provincial head was arrested last week Thursday and appeared briefly for mention on Friday before Madang committal court. His arrest was the result of a joint investigation between the Office of the Auditor General and the Police National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate.

It was disclosed by a representative from the Auditor General’s Office that investigations into Mr Lange’s office were first spawned in May after the Public Accounts Committee’s Madang Inquiry turned up a few financial discrepancies within the Provincial Administration.

These financial oddities were found to be of substance by the Office of the Auditor General which led to the fusion of the two investigative entities and the eventual issuance of the warrant of arrest.

Mr Lange’s misappropriation charge was linked to a Madang based hire car company, one Izarahlambor Hire Cars that was alleged to have received K3.4 million from the Madang Provincial Administration.

Questions were raised about the rest of the K3.4 million that was misappropriated but Inspector Simatab stated that this information would be released to the public once investigations and a thorough examination of all the evidence was carried out.

It revealed that investigations are on-going and that other administrative officers implicated in fraudulent or corrupt practices would be brought to justice in due course. Mr Lange was reported to have been bailed out on K3000 but is expected to make an appearance in court this Friday.

Other questions were raised on matters that were unearthed by the PAC inquiry in February such as the mysterious, ’teachers paying for pay slips scheme’ that saw to teachers being robbed of over K150, 000 that remains unaccounted for.

Inspector Sinatab and his sweep team said that in this regard, they would be dealing with the larger misappropriation cases and that these matters would eventually be investigated and brought to closure.

PNG Today / Post Courier