Koror, Palau – On Wednesday, July 17, 2019, Ms. Margie Ngirmidol, an Administrative Officer II with the Bureau of Public Safety, was arraigned on charges of Theft of Government Property in the First Degree, Theft in the Second Degree, and Use of a Computer in the Commission of a Separate Crime.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor, Republic of Palau, filed an information against the defendant which charged her with stealing from the National Treasury of Palau on two separate occasions. Ms. Ngirmidol is accused of using the Bank of Guam, Koror Branch ATM to alter the amount withdrawn on her daughter’s government issued disability checks. Both checks were issued to the minor child of Ms. Ngirmidol in the amount of $100. On March 2, 2019, the defendant used the ATM to change the amount to $1,000 and on March 31, 2019, she changed the amount to $10,000.
These two incidents deprived the National Treasury of a total of $10,800. This is in addition to the theft alleged in Criminal Case No. 19-066 wherein Ms. Ngirmidol and her husband, Clifton Soalablai, face charges of Theft of Government Property in excess of $50,000.
Ms. Ngirmidol faces two counts of each of the following offenses: Theft of Government Property in the First Degree, Theft in the Second Degree, and Use of a Computer in the Commission of a Separate Crime. Theft of Government Property is a Class B felony as the amount stolen was more than three hundred dollars ($300) but less than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000). Upon conviction, an offender may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of up to ten years, or by a fine of up to $25,000, or both. Theft in the Second degree is a Class C Felony; if convicted the defendant may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of up to five years, or by a fine up to $10,000, or both. In this case, Use of a Computer in the Commission of a Separate Crime is a Class B Felony. Upon conviction, an offender may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of up to ten years, or by a fine of up to $25,000, or both.
Jacob Gordin, Assistant Special Prosecutor for the Republic of Palau, made the announcement and will be prosecuting the case.
NOTE: A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.