Maladina charged: K10,000 bail

JIMMY Maladina was locked up for 20 minutes at Port Moresby’s Boroko police station yesterday afternoon before his lawyers deposited K10,000 to bail him out.

The former National Provident Fund (now NASFUND) chairman is to appear for mention at the Waigani committal court this morning.

NCD/Central police commander Geoffrey Vaki said yesterday afternoon nine charges were filed against Mr Maladina and the fraud squad would question him further after his court appearance.

Mr Vaki did not reveal details of the charges but reiterated that their seriousness compelled him to set the bail at K10,000. He said Mr Maladina’s representatives have been warned that the K10,000 bail fee could be increased if further charges were laid against him.

Mr Vaki said Mr Maladina was entitled to bail and a lawyer as stipulated in the Constitution and he was innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

“I have not refused bail and because of the seriousness of the offence and he is to be interviewed on further charges, the bail has been set at K10,000,” said Mr Vaki. “The bail has been set at K10,000 for obvious reasons because of the money involved in this particular matter. We have also warned his representatives that the fraud squad have not finished yet. This matter would go before the court tomorrow for mention and the fraud squad would continue with other cases,” Mr Vaki said.

Attempts by the media to talk to Mr Maladina in the cell yesterday afternoon were futile as he was immediately whisked away from the cells through a back door by close aides after his lawyers posted the bail.

Mr Maladina, in a statement sent by a facsimile machine belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, said he was innocent of the allegations made against him and he would disprove each of them. He said the NPF inquiry was a “political stunt and a witch hunt” against him and the inquiry had nothing to do with getting the truth behind the management of the NPF.

“When it is legally possible for me to do so, I will endeavour to answer these questions which I know concern all fair-minded Papua New Guineans,” said Mr Maladina.

The police interview that started at 3pm on Wednesday was suspended four hours later and continued at 8.30am yesterday before winding up at around 2pm. The charges were subsequently laid against him.