The Campaign Manager for advocacy group Act Now! appeared at the Waigani Committal Court on Tuesday (January 21) for Identity Theft.
Eddie Tanago, 40, from Northern Province appeared for his first mention before Magistrate, Carthleen Sopa.
As is the initial process for the Committal Court, Mr Tanago was read out his charges and rights.
According to police, on the 27th of December 2024, Tanago had “intentionally and without lawful excuse used an electric system, a Facebook account, namely Act Now! to use the identification of another person, Mr John Mosoro, the Managing Director for the PNG Forest Authority without his authorization.”
This action contravened section 15, subparagraph (b) of the PNG Cybercrime Act 2016.
A statement released by the PNG Forest Authority on the 12th of December 2024, following Tanago’s arrest on the 11th of December 2024, said the arrest is for posting defamatory remarks on the 27th of November 2024, against the PNG Forest Authority Managing Director, John Mosoro.
The Statement said, Tanago was “questioned on his actions in sharing a certain advertisement on social media.”
The advert carried a “face photo” (mugshot) of the PNG Forest Authority boss.
The advert was initially created by FM100 Talk Back Show to promote the appearance of the PNG Forest Authority Team.
Tanago and his organization, Act Now, reused the advertisement on their Facebook page to promote a blog on their website criticizing the PNG Forest Authority’s content on the show.
An act that has now landed the organization in court for using Mosoro’s picture without his consent.
Lawyer representing Tanago however pointed out to the court that the police files he obtained has the charges against Section 21, subsection 2 of the Cybercrime Act which is for Defamatory Publications.
Magistrate Sopa, however clarified that what she read out was the police files that were handed to her.
She proceeded with the proceedings under Identity Theft and adjourned the matter to the 25th of February for the next mention.
Section 15 of the Cybercrime Act is titled “Identity Theft”.
The charge is for “a person who intentionally and without lawful excuse or justification, or in excess of a lawful excuse or justification, uses an electronic system or device to either a) to access, (b) to manipulate, (c) to posses, (d) to use, or (e) to transfer a means of identification of another person without authorization of that other person.”
