Koror, Palau – On Thursday, December 17, 2020, Former Angaur State Governor, Marvin Ngirutang, was summoned by the Palau Supreme Court Trial division to face charges on two counts of Misconduct in Public Office, two counts of Theft of Government Property in the First Degree, and three counts of violating the Code of Ethics.
The allegations relate to the misuse of government funds in connection with the Regina IV repair project and several other unjustified uses of government funds. The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and Office of the Public Auditor (OPA) were asked by the Olbiil Era Kelulau to investigate the handling of the Regina IV repair. This prosecution is the culmination of that joint effort.
Governor Ngirutang was brought to the court on penal summons and pled “not guilty” at the initial appearance. Due to travel restrictions, Assistant Special Prosecutor Jacob Gordin appeared remotely on behalf of the OSP. Special Prosecutor April Dawn Cripps is dedicated to the fair administration of justice and is committed to ensuring that all defendants receive a fair trial despite challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic.
The next Court date is a status conference scheduled for January 18, 2021. Please visit www.palauosp.org for details on this case and updates on the OSP’s criminal prosecutions and related news.
Assistant Special Prosecutor Jacob Gordin made the announcement and will be prosecuting the case together with Special Prosecutor April Dawn Cripps.
NOTE: A criminal complaint (Information) contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.