Koror, Palau – This morning, former Ngiwal State Governor, Ellender Ngirameketii, pled guilty in Criminal Case No. 22-015, to two felonies, Counts 1 and 5, Misconduct in Public Office in violation of 17 PNC § 3918, when he illegally acted under the color of office, or willfully neglected to perform the duties of his office as provided by law, by filing documents with a government agency on January 21, 2020, and again on February 1, 2021, that knowingly contained false statements or information concerning the amount of income he actually earned in 2019 and 2020 under his Okal Security Agency contract.
The former Governor also pled guilty to two misdemeanors, Counts 2 and 6, Code of Ethics provisions, when he knowingly or willfully filed Financial Disclosure Statements for calendar years 2019 and 2020, claiming he made between $1,000.00 and $50,000.00 under the Okal Security Contract for the Capitol Complex instead of accurately reporting his earnings as required by 33 PNC § 605(c)(1), i.e., $170,000.00 in 2019 and $56,666.64 in 2020.
In return for his plea, the remainder of the counts (3, 4, 7, and 8 – all misdemeanors) will be dismissed. Sentencing is scheduled before the Honorable Lourdes F. Materne on November 18, 2022, at 10 a.m. in Courtroom 103, Palau Supreme Court, Koror, Palau.
Related documents available for download:
ROP v. Ngirameketii- Criminal Case No. 22-015 – Amended Information (as to Count Four)