Former teachers ordered to repay misappropriated monies

Two former teachers have been ordered by the Waigani National Court to pay back within a year K138,226.10 they had misappropriated from their employer or face four years in jail.

Andrik Yagro, 54, from East Sepik, and Joan Kalama, 67, from Central, both retired teachers, were part of an interim caretaker management of the PNG Teachers Association (PNGTA) when they misappropriated the money in 2016.

Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika and Justice Teresa Berrigan handed down the decision yesterday.

Sir Gibbs in his ruling, said money did not destroy people’s lives, rather the people who were going crazy and selfish with greed about money.

Because both of you have educated many Papua New Guineans, you are seen as role models and mentors to many people. I will suspend the four years sentence and give 12 months for you to repay the money. That means you have until Sept 3, 2019 to complete the payment.

Justice Gibbs Salika

It was alleged that they were appointed after the suspension of PNGTA’s national general secretary Ugwalubu Mowana. They were the interim caretaker management team from May 13 to July 31 in 2016.

The court heard that on July 21, the National Court reinstated Mowana in his position as the general secretary.

Yagro was as the caretaker administrator, and Kalama, the chairman of the interim board. After learning of Mowana’s reinstatement, Yagro and a person named Jeffery Kara picked up the association’s accountant Hubert Manbari, with association’s executive secretary Raka Oli.

They allegedly ordered the two to process their payroll before Mowana resumed duties. The first amount calculated was K98,000. But Yagro and Kera did not agree with it so it was cancelled. They wanted some of their creditors who personally helped them to be also included as well in the payroll. It was alleged that the officers did up another payroll set the next day with the inclusion of the creditors, amounting to a total of K138,226.10.

The court heard that Yagro received K74,416.20, Jeffery Kara received K20,765.60 and K43,043 .30 was paid to Joan Kalama.