The Secretary for Department of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology Professor Fr Jan Czuba, was arrested and charged by the National Fraud & Anti-Corruption Directorate (NFACD) yesterday in Port Moresby for K4.2million fraud.
Professor Fr Jan Czuba,61 of Giwice, Poland was charged with one count of official corruption and 9 counts of abuse of office.
Fr Czuba is the current Secretary for the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology and committed the offences whilst in office. He has served in the position since 2017 when he was appointed by the Government. Previously Fr Jan Czuba was the President of the Divine Word University, in Madang.
It was alleged that Fr Jan Czuba, in his capacity as the Secretary for the Higher education, Research, Science & Technology engaged services of a Polish Company namely PCG Academia to provide and managed software facilities for the on-line applications and on-line selection program without following the proper procurement process to secure the procurement contracts.
In other allegations it was alleged that he engaged his business partners and associates on the expenses of the Department on goods and services from his private companies in which he authorised the payments.
Police investigation established that the procurement of software services from PCG Academia were illegal and cannot be enforced. However, despite the contract being illegal and not enforceable, the Department of Higher education, Research, Science & Technology paid more than K4.2 million under the purported contract from 2017 to 2020.
Police investigation also revealed that Fr Jan Czuba had used his office to engage his long-time associates and business partners and a consultant for the software program. There were no public tenders called for but were handpicked by Fr Jan Czuba.
The complaint in this matter was lodged with the NFACD by Officers of the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology for investigation. At the conclusion of the investigation, Mr Jan Czuba was invited to the NFACD office, where a warrant of arrest was executed and record of interview conducted.
After the interview and charge procedures were completed, Fr Jan Czuba was taken to Boroko Police Station where he was placed in the cells.
He will appear in court next week.