The Waigani Committal Court today, Wednesday August 28th, struck out misappropriation charges against Jordan Imal, the former Acting Managing Director and CEO of NiuSky Pacific Limited.
The charges were related to the purchase of a company vehicle, a decision that Imal defended as both necessary and appropriate.
“Today, the Waigani Committal Court struck out the misappropriation charges brought against me by Robin Kawat in relation to the purchase of a company vehicle,” Imal stated following the court’s decision.
He strongly maintained his innocence, describing the charges as “malicious and entirely unfounded.”
Imal clarified that the vehicle in question remained the property of NiuSky Pacific.
“At no point in time have I taken possession of the vehicle and used it since its purchase,” he said.
The decision to buy the vehicle was based on consultations with NiuSky’s Executive Management Team and was aimed at addressing the company’s operational needs, including reducing its significant vehicle hire costs.
“By late March 2024, the company had already spent close to K2 million on vehicle hire costs alone, and continuing this practice would have placed further strain on the company’s financial position,” Imal explained.
The purchase, he added, was a more cost-effective solution, also driven by security concerns over the previously allocated vehicle.
Imal emphasized that the vehicle’s cost was structured to ensure NiuSky would not incur financial loss.
The payment was to be recouped through post-tax salary deductions, with ownership only transferring after full repayment.
Despite the transparency of the purchase, Imal was asked to resign, and legal proceedings were initiated by Kawat.
However, Imal noted that the complainant failed to provide any evidence linking him to misappropriation during the three-month court process.
Imal expressed his gratitude to the court, stating, “This experience has reinforced my belief that integrity and truth will ultimately prevail.”