Court conviction paves way for recovery of millions of kinas

Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr says the conviction of former Deputy Finance Secretary Jacob Yafai is a landmark moment for justice, saying it paves the way for police to recover K41.8 million stolen from public funds.

Tsiamalili commended the National Court, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary [RPNGC], and the Office of the Public Prosecutor for their work in securing the conviction, describing it as a critical breakthrough in the country’s fight against white-collar crime.

“The conviction of Yafai is not just the end of one case, it is the beginning of a full-scale financial recovery operation,” Tsiamalili said.

He said the decision gives police the legal authority to trace the money trail and recover all assets linked to the theft, regardless of how far back the transactions go.

Police Commissioner David Manning has directed the Asset Restraint and Recovery Working [ARROW] Group to begin tracking all properties, accounts, and offshore holdings tied to the missing funds.

“There is no way K41.8 million of public money will simply disappear,” the Minister said. “The law allows us to seize every asset gained through these crimes and return it to the State.”

The ARROW Group includes financial and legal experts from the Bank of PNG’s Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit [FASU], the RPNGC National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate [NFACD] and the Office of the Public Prosecutor [OPP].

Tsiamalili warned that corruption directly harms ordinary Papua New Guineans by draining money meant for essential services.

“When criminals steal from the State, they steal from the sick in our hospitals, from the children in our schools, and from our police who serve the people,” he said.

He said the conviction has restored confidence in the justice system and marks the start of a stronger push to recover stolen public funds.

“This is just the start. The conviction has opened the door; now the police will walk through it and bring back what belongs to our people,” Mr Tsiamalili said.

The Minister emphasised the Marape Government’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, calling the court’s decision a turning point in efforts to restore trust and accountability in public institutions.