The Waigani District Court this morning, issued directives for Investigators from the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), to return the mobile phone of ousted Kandep MP Don Polye.
Polye’s personal mobile device was confiscated by members of the ICAC team during the time of his arrest.
Polye’s lawyer, Edward Sasingian of Sasingian Lawyers, made an oral application before Magistrate Paul Puri Nii, asking the court to issue formal directives for the mobile device to be returned.
The ICAC prosecutor did not object to the request and the magistrate issued formal directives for the return of the moblie device to Mr Polye.
Meantime, Polye was formally arraigned on three charges relating to over K1.7 million.
The charges include attempting to Pervert Justice, Conspiracy to Defeat Justice, and Official Corruption. The court adjourned the case to February 16, 2026, allowing police continue investigations.
The allegations stem from an ICAC probe launched around November 2024 into the suspected misappropriation of K1,757,849.44 belonging to the Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation. Police say the funds were paid across four transactions to Karma Investments Ltd, a company owned by Kathleen Ruth James, Polye’s alleged wife.
Investigators allege Polye, then Minister for Higher Education and Sports around the time, directed PNGSF to award contracts to Karma Investments without any proper tender process. The contracts, issued in December 2023, covered sporting equipment, consumables, and social mapping.
ICAC raids throughout 2025 uncovered documents, digital evidence, and CCTV footage linking Polye to attempts to interfere with the investigation. Forensic analysis allegedly revealed communications between Polye and PML Project Manager Benjamin Malol, arranging a meeting at the Grand Papua Hotel, where they are accused of discussing the deletion of evidence.
Further, Polye is alleged to have contacted an ICAC officer directly via calls and WhatsApp messages, seeking information and attempting to influence the course of the investigation.
If proven, the allegations could amount to serious breaches of the Criminal Code, including official corruption and obstruction of justice.
Leave a Reply