Former Airport Vanuatu CEO on theft charges

THE former Chief Executive Officer of Airport Vanuatu Limited AVL, has allegedly misused more than VT11 million paying an advance for his housing rent, said police spokeswoman.
She said Henry Jowangeh was arrested last week and remanded at the Correctional Centre for misusing that amount.

She said Mr Jowangeh was charged with obtaining money by false and misleading statements under the penal code Act Cap 135.

She said that Mr Jowangeh will face an additional theft charge on his first appearing in the Magistrate Court on April 27.

She said the investigation was ordered by the current CEO Peter Bong after he found  the outgoing CEO had allegedly taken the money in order to pay an advance payment of his rented house from 2012 to 2014.

The police spokeswoman said his contract finished on February 14, 2012.

Mr Jowangeh was told by police that he took office in 2006 and during that time he allegedly used that amount for his personal use.

On April 12, he was arrested by investigators near Platinier Estate for allegedly obtaining money by false and misleading statements.

A member of the investigation team who did not want to be named said Mr Jowangeh was intitled to VT200,000 for his renting house every month.

He said the house he lived in at Platinier Estate is a rented property but cost less than VT50,000 per month.

He said the investigations has found that Mr Wangeh kept on asking for his renting advance every month even though he was near the end of his contract.

“He knew very well that his contract will be soon finished but keeped on asking for the advance for his renting house,” he said.

The officer said last year he asked to take three months in advance for his rented house which  totalled up VT600,000  and it is likely that he was using his title as the CEO to successfully withdraw the money.

He said Mr Wangeh allegedly still owed more than VT4 million to Airport Vanuatu Limited.

The Independent called AVL for comment, but it was refused because of an unrelated matter.