A judge in Papua New Guinea has called for action to counter misappropriation by workers in public institutions.
The Post Courier newspaper reports Justice Bernard Sakora as warning that the country risks becoming engulfed by such offences.
Justice Sakora's comments came before the sentencing of former Bank South Pacific employee at the National Court in Port Moresby.
Josephine Giwar got six years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing just over US$18,000 from the bank.
However, Justice Sakora suspended five years from the six-year sentence on the condition that she paid back more than US$8,500.
This was the outstanding balance, after she was found to have taken out more than US$9,000 in funds, through electronic transfer into six bank accounts she held.
She has 12 months to repay the money, but failure to do so would see her serve out the full six-year jail sentence.
