Posts

O’Phobia: O'Neill's Greatest Fear

Image
By AJ LAMBO WAIGANI: Peter O’Neill staged the fight on 16th June 2014. He chose Waigani to be his battle field. A tactician he is, he fought on two fronts: sent his lawyer to Court and dismantled the investigating team. He was brilliant – he knew the target, but his arsenal of weapons could not destroy it. He lost all his fights (and gracefully surrendered) at Waigani Court House. Now, it’s time to move the battle field to Konedobu. O’Neill’s greatest phobia is looking investigator in the eye and answering their questions. A proper police interrogation is not what every person who has something to hide wants to face. They fear police investigators that some can wet their pants. Call By Leaders for Peter O’Neill to Own Up CHRISTAIN LEADERS: We heard leaders from main-line churches appealing for O’Neill to submit to police request. Thank God and pioneer missionaries, PNG are blessed with established churches (Anglican, Lutheran, Catholic, SDA) with strong leaders who have wisdom to co

SUPERANNUATION LEGISLATION IS PUNITIVE AGAINST WORKERS’ HOUSING NEEDS.

Image
By Lowly Paid Lae Worker Housing is a right, not a privilege only for those at the top of the food chain to enjoy. I am a public servant with K7 housing allowance fortnightly and have been living with wantoks ever since I joined the workforce 12 years ago. Though I have some savings at Nambawan Super, I am only eligible to withdraw 100% of employee contributions, which is not enough to meet the deposit for a bank loan to buy or build a house here in Lae. I have a wife and three children; 12, 10 and 7 year olds but still living with wantoks 12 years later. I would like to recommend to Sir Nagora Bogan’s Task Force on Taxation and O’Neill Government to change the Superannuation Legislation so that members can be able to withdraw 100% of their savings to use as a deposit to buy a house or build one. This should include 100% accumulated interest, employee and employer portions so it can be enough to put in a deposit for a housing loan.  The amended legislat

NEW TWIST IN PARAKA SAGA - AG CLAIMS TASK FORCE SWEEP EVIDENCE FALSE

Image
The AG and Minister for Justice Ano Pala has written to the Commissioner of Police Geoffrey to draw attention that will assist in police investigations the legality of the payments to Paul Paraka Lawyers. "I have received all relevant material in the Department of Justice relating to the payment of Paraka's legal Bills that was used by the former investigating Task Force Sweep (ITFS) headed by Mr. Sam Koim" the Attorney General said. We must be crystal clear on the claims made by Mr. Koim because new evidence has revealed that Mr. Koim said was false and misleading. Mr. Koim based his case of illegality on an assertion that there was a Supreme Court Order staying the payment of Mr. Paraka's legal bills. ITFS had claimed that Mr. Paraka had on various dates between 2012 and 2013 illegally received payments totalling K71.8 million from the State. "However it is now clear that there was no Supreme Court Order staying or stopping the payment to Paraka Lawyers.

LUPARI THREATENS CHIEF MAGISTRATE

Image
ISAAC LUPARI, the man behind PETER O'NEILL'S STRATEGIES TO DESTROY THE RULE OF LAW. Isaac Lupari is synonyms with sleazy behaviour but this time, he is the man behind the strategies devised to subvert the rule of law and obstruct Police from investigating and charging O'Neill. Just now, he (Lupari) has released a press statement purportedly under the name of Police Minister, raising very serious questions against the Chief Magistrate who ruled against the application by O'Neill's another cupbearer, Geoffrey Vaki. They will stop at nothing as Papua New Guineans watch helplessly. A push to remove the Chief Magistrate is now imminent. They are going up the ladder and they might remove every person involved in this case against PM including the judges.

Vaki compromised Eluh

Image
Now everyone can see that Vaki is PM's puppet. I wonder how this changes things within the members of the constabulary and where their loyalties lie- to the people of PNG and the constitution, or to support their cronies like Vaki to hold on to power and disregard the plight of the people of PNG and their cry for change and accountability. What is the motivation within the force- money? Where do their priorities lie- with the people? Eluh's statement: 'SUSPENDED Assistant Commissioner Crimes, Thomas Eluh, has reiterated his earlier stand that newly appointed Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki has been compromised and cannot uphold the office of the Commissioner of Police. In a statement, Mr Eluh said: "Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki can talk and try to justify himself till the sun freezes over but he cannot fool the people of Papua New Guinea. He is now being seen as a puppet conveniently appointed to prevent Prime Minister Peter O’Neill from submitting himself to t

PM withdraws Court Proceedings

Image
Source: POST COURIER PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has instructed his lawyers to withdraw all court proceedings, including appeals, to let government agencies do their job in verifying legal bills paid to Paraka Lawyers. "I have always made myself available and I will answer questions that proper investigators put to me and I stand ready to do that," Mr O’Neill said when announcing this yesterday. "That is why after considering all the events of the past two weeks, I have instructed my lawyers to withdraw all the legal proceedings including the appeals that they have initiated on my behalf because I want to respect the decisions of the courts that the powers continue to lie with the Commissioner of Police. "I will respect that the Commissioner of Police be allowed to do his job and that our only request is that we will subject ourselves to an interview or provide statements as and when it is required by him and through an independent process of which investi

NATIONAL COURT RESTRAINS POLICE COMMISSIONER

Image
RESTRAINED National Court today issued restraining orders against Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki preventing him from interfering with the Fraud Squad investigators arresting the PM. Director for Crimes Mathew Damaru filed the urgent application seeking orders to retrain (stop) Vaki from interfering with their Constitutional duties of powers of arrest against the PM. Damaru's application was supported by his Deputy Timothy Gitua and Suspended Assistant Police Commissioner of Crimes Thomas Eluh. Eluh was only recently suspended by Vaki after Eluh arrested Vaki on charges of perverting the course of Justice when he sidelined the Police lawyer Nicholas Niviri. Moses Murry represented the officers and Greg Sheppard appeared on behalf of Vaki. Sheppard argued his own application asking the Court to stay the arrest warrants but the Judge Kandakasi rejected it saying that that very issue was subject of many court proceedings from District Court to Supreme Court. With the restr

BREAKING NEWS - CHIEF MAGISTRATE REJECTS VAKI'S APPLICATION

Image
BREAKING NEWS - CHIEF MAGISTRATE REJECTS VAKI'S APPLICATION TO SET ASIDE THE ARREST WARRANTS - Chief Magistrate has rejected Police Commissioner's application to set aside the Arrest Warrants for Prime Minister Peter O'Niell, Commissioner Vaki through his Lawyers asked the district courts to set aside the warrant of arrest against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill in relation to the Paul Paraka saga. A decision on this matter handed this afternoon rejected this application. This follows the National Court decision on Tuesday turning down Mr O’Neill’s bid to stop the same warrant of arrest from being implemented. Mr Vaki based his submissions on the National Court decision which ruled that the Police Commissioner had the constitutional duty to perform and the courts cannot interfere with the functions of the police force. On Wednesday , police lawyer Sam Bonner briefed out the matter to prominent barrister Greg Sheppard of Young and Williams Lawyers to make submissions

“No man is above the law”

Image
MEDIA STATEMENT. By Thomas Eluh, Assistant Commissioner of Police - Suspended To use a rugby league analogy, my suspension can be likened to that of a half-back being sin-binned by his own captain in the crucial stages of the game. This is rather unheard of in the history of rugby league and especially in the 126 year history of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki can talk and try to justify himself till the sun freezes over but he cannot fool the people of Papua New Guinea. He is now being seen as a puppet conveniently appointed to prevent Prime Minister Peter O’Neill from submitting himself to the rule of law. How can Vaki ask us to give him the benefit of doubt when prior to officially taking office and without receiving any briefing from myself and my investigators he issued instructions to consent to retraining orders being sought by the Prime Minister’s lawyer against police from arresting the Prime Minister? How can he expect us to trust him now

The wheels of Justice are turning

Image
The Wheels of Justice continue to Turn in favour of the rule of law. Just now, the National Court per Justice Ambeng Kandakasi issued interim restraining order restraining the Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki from interfering with the Police investigations until next Tuesday. Submissions by Mr Shepherd of counsel for Commissioner Vaki to also have warrant of arrest against Prime Minister O'Neill stayed were refused by His Honour saying that that very issue was subject of ma ny court proceedings from District Court to Supreme Court. His Honour made some very important remarks/observations about what's happening. Hope the media picked it up. Let's see what the District Court would say this afternoon at 1:30pm.

VAKI'S CASE IN DISTRICT COURT LIKELY TO FAIL

Image
Source Post Courier Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki has now asked the district courts to set aside the warrant of arrest against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill in relation to the Paul Paraka saga. A decision on this matter will be handed down tomorrow. This follows the National Court decision on Tuesday turning down Mr O’Neill’s bid to stop the same warrant of arrest from being implemented. Mr Vaki based his submissions on the National Court decision which ruled that the Police Commissioner had the constitutional duty to perform and the courts cannot interfere with the functions of the police force. Yesterday, police lawyer Sam Bonner briefed out the matter to prominent barrister Greg Sheppard of Young and Williams Lawyers to make submissions on behalf of the Police Commissioner to set the warrant of arrest aside. The submissions were presented before Chief Magistrate Nerrie Eliakim who adjourned the matter to Friday for a ruling. According to Mr Bonner, the submissions were b

Understanding the issue of the Arrest Warrant

Image
Team O'Neill  has stated time and time again that the Police were wrong to apply for and obtain a Warrant of Arrest for Peter. Their case was; invite Peter to the Police Station, question him, and if the Police feel there is sufficient evidence to charge him, then charge him. Even Peter himself has said that he would be willing to go to the Police Station for questioning if the Warrant of Arrest were set aside. Most laypeople would have been hoodwinked by Team O'Neill  into believing that the Warrant of Arrest should not have been issued. The fact is, in most cases, Police do not need a Warrant of Arrest for a person to be brought to the Police Station to be questioned, and charged. But if the Police want to charge a person for OFFICIAL CORRUPTION, it is mandatory that Police apply for and obtain a Warrant of Arrest before arresting the suspect. Let me reproduce the provision of the Criminial Code Act 87. OFFICIAL CORRUPTION (1) A person who - (a) being - (i) employe

A Call to NGI MPs in the Executive Government to make their stand

By Graham Tenaen Robinson The New Guinea Island MPs within the Government caucus must come out and clearly explain to their people why they support the actions of their leader, who continues to avoid and temper with the rule of law. NGI MPs must stand together and be counted for what is right for our country. If you disagree then make a bold stand and distance yourselves from a very bad and dangerous precedence that has already been set by the political head of this country. If he is not guilty, then the very systems enacted to protect us will decides and not his statement. We are taught to respect the rule of law and be accounted for our actions when we break the law as taught, because it impresses values to our children we must uphold. The current trend clearly impresses the notion to question the rule of law despite a pending investigation, he claims to tempered with politically. He has stated beyond reasonable doubt that he is not guilty. And if so why is he running back t

PRIME MINISTER WONT BE ARRESTED ANYTIME SOON - VAKI

Image
ABC NEWS Papua New Guinea police commissioner Geoffrey Vaki won't arrest PM Peter O'Neill anytime soon Papua New Guinea's Acting Police Commissioner says he won't be arresting Prime Minister Peter O'Neill anytime soon, even though a court on has ruled the arrest warrant should stand. On Tuesday, Justice Ere Kariko said only in the clearest cases of abuse of police power should the court intervene in a police investigation, and in this case there was no such evidence. Acting Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki says any moves to arrest Mr O'Neill on corruption charges are "a long way down the road". He says the case requires more investigation to make sure it is "watertight" and even then, the prime minister would be invited to give an interview to police. Less than three weeks ago, a different Police Chief took a different approach, serving Peter O'Neill with the arrest warrant. That Police Commissioner was promptly sacked, along with

Media Statement by Kerenge Kua sums up the whole situation

Image
"The National Court has now spoken. It has given its advice to the Prime Minister that there is no basis to refuse to go in for an interview with the police, nor for any orders to be issued to stop the implementation of the warrant of arrest," Mr Kua said. "This means that there are now no further impediments or restraints in the way of the Warrant of Arrest. "Consistent with the Prime Minister’s own conduct of invoking and submitting to the jurisdiction of the National Court, and by agreeing to be bound to its decision, he must now demonstrate it physically. He must now contact the police to secure an appointment to enable the process to commence. "Considering the office that he occupies, it is incumbent upon him to do what is right, namely, to set the right example for the rest of the country. "It must be understood that the majority of our citizens face with a Warrant of Arrest do not have the privilege of sacking the Police Commissioner, the depu

NEC APPOINTMENT OF GEOFFREY VAKI IS FLAWED

Image
The Police Association or any person of interest must query the legality of the appointment of Police Commissioner Jeffery Vaki, made by NEC dated 01/07/14. In my view the appointment of Police Commissioner is legally flawed. Basically, appointment of Police Commissioner or Acting Commissioner must follow the due process set out under section 193 of the Constitution and Section 25, 25A of the Public Service Management Act 1995 and Section 9(2) of the Police Act 1988. (a) Section 193(2) of the Constitution provides that “all appointments (whether temporary or substantive) to offices to which subsection (1) (b), (c) and (e) apply shall be made by the head of state, acting with, and in accordance with, the advice of the national executive council given after consultation with the public services commission and any appropriate permanent parliamentary committee, and a report concerning each of them shall be given to the parliament by the responsible minister as soon as possible after i

Attempt Arrest on Vaki Fails

Image
ATTEMPTED ARREST ON VAKI An attempted arrest of the Acting Police Commissioner last evening ended up in a near confrontation with members of the fraud squad and police officers loyal to the new Acting Commissioner. Acting Police Commissioner, Mr. Geoffrey Vaki said the confrontation resulted from fraud squad officers fronting up at the Police Headquarters (PHQ) to arrest him again and charge him for conspiracy. The confrontation would have turned out bad if the Acting Commissioner hadn’t intervened to stabilise the situation outside the PHQ. Vaki said four fire arms were confiscated from the fraud squad officers including two of their vehicles that they used to go to the Headquarters. He also adds that such a confrontation is not good for the image of the police force to the international community and should not happen, especially when the 5th Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture is currently on with other pacific island countries watching.

PM Respects the Rule of Law expects Police to do their job.

Image
By PM MEDIA UNIT With all due respects the National Court this morning has upheld the police warrant of arrest of PNG PM Peter O'Neill that decision by Judge Ere Kariko now means the police, at their pleasure, can now arrest the prime minister for questioning on letters purportedly bearing his signature and allegedly authorising delayed payment of more than K71million to law firm, Paul Paraka Lawyers, for briefed out legal services, starting around 2003, rendered to the State, mainly on alleged illegal or fradulent claims in the millions against the State. Based on the police interrogation the PM then may or may not be charged .... right now he faces no criminal or Leadership Code charges in respect of the letters purported to carry his signature. To his credit the PM has maintained all along that every citizen irrespective of status was not above the law. He will have his date with the police and he will have his day in the courts if the situation pans out that way. But in t

Breaking News: PETER O'NEILLS CASE THROWN OUT!

Image
PM''S STAY ORDER DISMISSED The application by Prime Minister to stop police from arresting him has been dismissed. The National Court in Waigani threw out the case this morning citing it as interfering with police duties. Justice Ere Kariko found the court should not interfere with police investigation as there is no premafacie case. It also ruled that police is not party to the substantive matter that is on taxation filed by Finance Minister James Marape, which has no relevance to the warrant of arrest. Justice Kariko also ruled that there's no serious question to be tried. This now means police can go ahead and arrest the Prime Minister Peter O' Neil

UNITECH STUDENTS PROPOSE 48 HOUR PETITION DEMANDING RESIGNATION TO PM. IS UPNG LOSING ITS MOMENTUM?

Image
By PNGBLOGS Staff Writers As a young country the positive role played by PNG’s uni students in advancing society has been less consistent than in many other countries, where activist uni students turned the tide against evil at for different national struggles.   But now we in PNG are exposed to Peter O’neill, whose utter disrespect for the law starting from his late 1990s’ NPF arrest, to his 2011 ignoring a Supreme Court order, to his very recent sacking anyone who tries to apply legal procedures he doesn’t like, almost spits in the face of God-fearing Christians.   His actions challenge decent minded citizens to fight back.  Last week UPNG students made a brilliant start at energising uni students nationawide, when they demonstrated at Unagi oval.  It brought back memories of times past when UPNG students were the conscience of the nation as they went on strikes and marches.    Assisting their efforts at last was the 180 degree turn of the Post Courier and National from several mo

Why O’Neill is not right for PNG

Image
By LUKE KINING This is an open letter to all our Members of Parliament The rapid unfolding of events in the last two weeks resulting from the arrest warrant issued for the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill (PO) have dramatically exposed the fragility of our democratic nation. The Prime Minister’s refusal to answer to a constitutionally mandated legal process will have far reaching detrimental consequences for our nation. The PM has argued that the PNG Constabulary, an independent constitutional Office, and its officers have been politically compromised. As elected Members of Parliament you know that a PM can’t make such allegations, for so many reasons as you know. Think carefully about it: the PM is saying a politically compromised Police Force was in charge of administering and enforcing the laws of the land, and it was all fine until he became the subject of investigation by the same Police Force. The Members of Parliament (MPs) have a choice to make.  You are going to decide