September 5, 2013- Post Courier
PORT Moresby-based lawyer Harvey Nii was yesterday arrested and charged by the Investigation Task Force Sweep for allegedly collecting funds on behalf of another law firm.
Nii, the principal of Harvey Nii Lawyers, was taken to the Konedobu fraud squad office yesterday morning and questioned before he was formally arrested and charged for K6 million he allegedly received from the Finance Department on behalf of Paraka Lawyers.
According to a statement by Sam Koim, the chair of the Investigation Task Force Sweep, this is the first arrest after months of investigations into illegal payments made to law firms by the Department of Finance.
Police last night confirmed when contacted by the Post-Courier that Nii was arrested and charged and is in custody at the Boroko police station, waiting for his lawyers to make an urgent application for bail in the National Court.
“Our investigations do not cover the tenure of Paul Paraka Lawyers’ brief out period, as those were covered by an Internal Departmental Inquiry and the Finance Commission of Inquiry which is a subject of numerous court proceedings. The investigations however, focused on subsequent payments after two separate Supreme Court Orders were issued, staying any payment to Paul Paraka Lawyers,” said Mr Koim.
According to the Investigation Task Force Sweep chair, Nii is charged for K6 million he allegedly received from the Finance Department on behalf of Paraka Lawyers on February 17, 2012. Reports show that of the K6 million, he allegedly retained K100, 000 and paid the balance into Paul Paraka Lawyers account and PKP Nominees, a company allegedly owned and operated by Paul Paraka.
Consequently the lawyer was arrested and charged for allegedly stealing K6 million under Section 372 (1) of Criminal Code Act, allegedly conspiring with Paul Paraka of Paul Paraka Lawyers to defraud the Independent state of Papua New Guinea of K6 million under section 407 (1) (b) of Criminal Code Act and Money Laundering under Section 34 (2) (a) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2005. The 47-year-old accused is from Kupibaut Village, Baiyer River in the Western Highlands Province.
Other law firms also colluded to collect legal fees from the State without following proper procedures and are under investigation, added Mr Koim. A number of senior MPs, top bureaucrats, public servants, judicial officers, lawyers, media officers and financial institutions which facilitated and benefited from these payments over the last seven years are also under the radar.
