Former PNG minister Paul Tiensten guilty of misappropriation of grant to kickstart Travel Air
By Liam Fox on ABC
Papua New Guinea’s former planning minister has been found guilty of misappropriation over a $4 million grant to a controversial businessman.
In 2011 Paul Tiensten directed the grant be given to Travel Air and its owner Eremas Wartoto.
Today the country’s national court ruled that amounted to misappropriation because the money was earmarked for rural freight subsidies and instead was effectively used as seed capital to get the airline up and running.
Judge Gibbs Salika said Tiensten had used his “political muscle” to direct his officials to facilitate the grant and ignore proper assessment procedures.
Tiensten was found not guilty of a charge of conspiracy to defraud.
He was released on bail until sentencing early next year.
