Mwamba is accused of fraud against the Palm Island Council

The next step in the case against a former high-ranking Palm Island Council employee accused of defrauding the council and a businessman has been revealed.

THE next step in the case against a former high-ranking Palm Island Council employee accused of defrauding the council and a businessman has been revealed.

On Wednesday in Townsville Magistrates Court, the legal representatives for former Palm Island Council deputy CEO John Mugambi Mwamba and businessman Shane Paul Stratton made the next step known.

Defence barrister Darin Honchin said he would be filing an application for witnesses to attend a committal proceeding for his client, Mwamba.

The 87 charges against Mwamba, which include a range of fraud, stealing by clerks and servants, and misconduct in relation to public office – doing an act or making an omission in abuse or authority of office, have been ongoing since 2019.

John Mugambi Mwamba. Photo: Leighton Smith

Commonwealth prosecutor Scott Collins said the DPP required “clarity” on some of the eight witnesses, three of which were said to be Crime and Corruption Commission investigators.

He told Magistrate Ross Mack that the prosecution case alleges Mwamba was involved in several different categories of offending, including the misuse of a corporate credit card, fraud involving a frequent flyer account, and alleged dealings with Stratton.

Mr Honchin said they required a date for the application to be heard, or the matter would “drag on into next year”.

Appearing as town agent for Stratton’s solicitor, Richard Scholl told the court that while Stratton only had one charge, he would like to keep the matter together with Mwamba’s.

The former Reef Logistics operations manager is charged with one count of corruptly receive or solicit valuable consideration as inducement or reward for any act to principals affairs or business.

Both Mwamba and Stratton’s matters were adjourned to January 27.

Originally published as Mwamba is accused of fraud against the Palm Island Council