Former PNG Finance Official Sentenced to 22 Years for Misappropriating K41.8 Million
Former Deputy Secretary for Finance, Jacob Yafai, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison with hard labor for misappropriating K41.8 million in public funds paid to Paul Paraka Lawyers.
Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika delivered the ruling at the Waigani National Court, ordering Yafai to serve his sentence at Bomana Prison. The court found him guilty on four counts of misappropriation and one count of abuse of office.
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| Former PNG Finance Official Sentenced to 22 Years for Misappropriating K41.8 Million |
Yafai received 20 years for each of the four misappropriation charges and two years for abuse of office, with the sentences to be served concurrently. The State had initially pushed for a 42-year jail term, but the court determined that 22 years was appropriate.
State prosecutor Linda Maru told the court that Yafai’s actions had caused severe financial loss to the people of Papua New Guinea and stressed the need for a strong message to deter corruption among public officials.
In response, Yafai’s lawyer, Edward Sasingian, argued for a suspended sentence, citing his client’s previous public service record. However, the court rejected the plea, ruling that the severity of the offence warranted immediate imprisonment.
After the sentencing, Sasingian confirmed plans to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court, maintaining that the sentence was excessive.
The ruling has been widely seen as a strong stance by the judiciary against public sector corruption and misuse of government funds in Papua New Guinea.
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