Gloria Salika committed

By BEVERLY PETER
FORMER Young and Williams Lawyers’ counsel Gloria Salika has been committed to stand trial in the National Court for 83 counts of fraud-related charges.
Magistrate Danny Wakikura made the ruling yesterday that there was enough evidence to try Gloria, 39, from South Fly’s Kulakea village in Western, for 26 counts of misappropriation, 28 counts of money laundering, 27 counts of false pretence and two counts of conspiracy to defraud.
“The evidence shows that she was involved in the communication to facilitate the transfer of the money and I find sufficient evidence for all the charges,” he said.
Gloria, who is Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika’s daughter, chose to remain silent when asked to make her declaration on sufficiency of police evidence.
“I have nothing to say in relation to Section 96 declaration statement,” she said.
Wakikura said her rights to remain silent was accepted.
He then told Gloria: “You have the right to defend yourself in the National Court.
“There you will have the chance to defend yourself properly against all the evidence on the police file.”
Between Aug 1 and Aug 30, 2018, Gloria allegedly communicated with the Australia New Zealand Bank employees and transferred K15 million from the Western people’s dividend trust account from the bank to Young and Williams Lawyers.
Gloria allegedly used signed Young and Williams Lawyers letters under Gregory James Sheppard’s name to send and receive the necessary documents with ANZ employees to facilitate the transfer. On Aug 19, 2020, North Fly MP James Donald lodged a complaint to the Police Commissioner’s office alleging that the K15 million and several other transfers totalling K268 million was transacted under false pretence and alleged that the sum of K268 million was misappropriated by the Ok Tedi Fly River Development Foundation Ltd and Young and Williams Lawyers.
The K268 million alleged to have been misappropriated was for funding development projects within the community mine construction agreement. Police investigated the allegations and the suspects were arrested and charged.
Police alleged that the K15 million was transferred to Young and Williams Lawyers on Aug 17, 2018.
Police retrieved an email conversation between ANZ bank and Young and Williams Lawyers employees, alleging that Gloria and Malken were the two Young and Williams Lawyers employees, communicating with ANZ employees to facilitate the transfer of funds.
On Aug 21, 2018, after the transfer of K15 million, a sum of K4.2 million was allegedly transferred from Young and Williams Lawyers trust account to Mundi No.1 Ltd trust account belonging to Samson Jubi and Jubi on Aug 24, 2018, allegedly transferred K30,000 to Gloria.
There were other transfers from Mundi No.1 Ltd to Gloria’s account between Aug 24, 2018 and Sept 23, 2020 totalling K127,500.
The case was fixed for listing in the National Court on June 6.