Two officials linked to land claims around Morobe’s Wafi-Golpu gold and copper project have been committed to stand trial at the National Court.

Steven Kozi Judah, 45, and Jack Raban, 38, both from Babuaf village in the Huon Gulf district, were committed by Lae Magistrate Otto Avorosi recently.

The court found there was enough evidence for the case to proceed.

Judah and Raban each face charges of conspiracy to defraud, forgery, uttering and false pretense under the Criminal Code.

Magistrate Avorosi told the court that the documents presented showed the men had a case to answer.

The court heard that a legitimate landowning group, Waffes Integrated Landowner Group (ILG), had already been identified through a land mediation process in December 2018 and was formally registered in July 2020.

Police allege the two men later registered another group, Waffes-Babuaf ILG, using the same clan information.

The magistrate found that Waffes-Babuaf ILG does not exist, while Waffes ILG does.

Judah and Raban are scheduled to make their first appearance at the National Court in Lae at the start of the 2026 legal year.