THE Director General of National Youth Development Authority announced in a press conference recently the allegations made against him were false and by virtue of court order on Thursday, August 12 he is now free from the charges and can perform his mandated role in the office.
Joe Itaki, 46 from Wapenamanda, Enga province was arrested and charged pursuant to warrant of arrest issued by the Waigani District Court on the 15th of March, 2021 and subsequently charged with one count each of misappropriation, official corruption and conspiracy to defraud the State.
It was alleged that Joe Itaki abused public funds belonging to the National Youth Development Authority.
The allegations were made against him by a Norit Luio and Johnston Hebe, former Director General and Commissioner of the National Youth Development Authority respectively.
Fred Gigmai, a senior internal auditor in the NYDA stated in a letter, apologizing to Mr. Itaki that the two lured him out and gained access to NYDA’s confidential information so that they can capitalize on these to fabricate and mislead the Public Service Commission and the National Executive Council to get the current acting Director General out of his office.
Gigmai also stated that they (Luio and Hebe) were the main instigators behind this alleged reporting and circulation of false information to Department of Personnel Management office, Minister’s office and Office of the Prime Minister’s secretary. The alleged official corruption was all stirred up by the two rivals in a bid to unseat Mr. Itaki.
Mr. Gigmai apologized to the Director General and reaffirmed that the allegations made against him by the two former bosses with information obtained from him, were baseless and have no substance. They are mere speculations only to tarnish Mr. Itaki’s good reputation and that of the Minister Wake Goi.
With no grounds to pursue the matter further, the long pending case is now dismissed.
