The Somare family and the K96m Woodlawn scam
The PNG government alleges K96m has been stolen from the public purse in a fraudulent share transfer overseen by former Public Enterprise Minister, Arthur Somare. But what has not yet been revealed is the money has been invested in a company that bears the same name as the school attended by Arthur’s brother, Sana. Further, Lismore, where the money is sitting in a Commonwealth Bank branch, is described by friends as “home turf for the Somare family”. It is also alleged the family has close personal ties to the bank staff at the branch at 86 Woodlark Street Lismore, which is just around the corner from the registered office of the investment company. New Minister, Mekere Morauta, says the stolen K96m, or what now remains of it, is in a bank account owned by an obscure Australian company, Woodlawn Capital Ltd. Sana Somare was schooled at the exclusive St Johns College at Woodlawn near Lismore in northern New South Wales. St John’s is commonly referred to as Woodlawn college