Former PPUC employee Wridan Ngiralmau was declared not guilty of the sole count of Theft in the Second Degree, a charge filed against him by the Office of Attorney last December.
The verdict was issued from the bench relieving defendant Ngiralmau of all “pre-judgement conditions” and releasing his bail.
Justice Materne in issuing her judgment, orally stated her reasons in the Court saying that she did not find all the prosecution witnesses as credible witnesses. The prosecution has 13 witnesses and 8 prosecution exhibits.
She said that when Dave Dengokl authorized removal of the fuel, he authorized all other acts by Wridan Ngiralmau.
Ngiralmau was accused of Theft in the Second Degree for selling 10 drums or 500 gallons of diesel fuel from Palau Public Utilities Corporation’s(PPUC) power plant in Aimeliik to Aimeliik State Government for $3.00 per gallon. The allegations said that Mr. Ngiralmau submitted an invoice to Aimeliik State in his name and Aimeliik State issued him a check for $1,500.
Ngiralmau resigned from PPUC and PPUC’s Board authorized a report of the theft to the police. As a result of the report and investigation, the Office of Attorney General filed the case against Mr. Ngiralmau.
(Correction: The previous report said Ngiralmau was fired but it was confirmed that he wasn’t fired. He was given an option by PPUc and he chose to resign voluntarily.)v