Stalemate over probe into PNG fraud case

Transcript

Papua New Guinea's police anti-fraud squad remains unable to access its office and files amid a standoff over a major corruption case.

This comes after anti-fraud officers made several high profile arrests, while probing the prime minister Peter O'Neill's role in alleged illegal state payments to a law firm.

Johnny Blades reports

The police commissioner Gary Baki last week suspended the head of the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate, Matthew Damaru, and several colleagues for insubordination and alleged breaches.

Mr Damaru challenged Mr Baki's move in court, which subsequently ordered a stay on the suspension, allowing the fraud squad to resume its work.

However he says the commissioner continues to blockade their office. 

MATTHEW DAMARU: And we've been locked outside, we can't do anything. All the files and everything are all locked up. We are just hanging around outside the office and out on the street, basically doing nothing. We are told to provide reports and everything but we can't while the office is locked.

The notorious police Mobile Squad guards the office, and Mr Damaru says there's no point in trying to get in.

MATTHEW DAMARU: Well we haven't attempted to force our way in. The court order is there."

 

The Police Minister Robert Atiyafa says he's satisfied Gary Baki has acted within the bounds of his administrative powers.

ROBERT ATIYAFA: I'm not making any comment because I've asked the commissioner for police to handle it. It's more or less an management issue, an administrative issue. 

But the opposition MP Sam Basil says the commissioner has been wrongly advised by the prime minister's lawyers.

SAM BASIL: I see that Baki will be in a lot of trouble. He has gone against the orders of the court. If the police commissioner doesn't respect the court orders, who else can? So it has to be brought back to the courts to be corrected. I really strongly think that the police commissioner is in a lot of trouble right now.

Efforts to arrest the prime minister over the fraud case have been constantly challenged in court by Peter O'Neill's lawyers.

Amid the resulting legal quagmire, calls for the prime minister to stand aside have come from his two predecessors. 

Sir Mekere Morauta and Sir Michael Somare have both warned about damage to the integrity of the office of the prime minister by what they call Mr O'Neill's attempts to prevent investigation of corruption.

The prime minister for his part calls them hypocrites and continues to claim his innocence.

PETER O'NEILL: I have always stated this and I state this again very clearly: If there is one evidence that I have received one financial benefit I will resign tomorrow. [audible laughter from chamber].

 

The police commissioner's move to suspend the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate personnel returns to court next month.