Monday, January 6, 2014

Namah gives Kulunga 72 hrs to arrest Prime Minister

Post-Courier, 07th January, 2014

Oppositon Leader Belden Namah has given Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga a 72-hour ultimatum to execute the warrant of arrest on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill or face contempt of court.
Belden Namah, OL

Mr Namah called a media conference yesterday to express concerns over the failure by the Police Commissioner and the police force to execute the warrants of arrest on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Treasurer Don Polye and Finance Minister James Marape. 
The warrants were issued by the Waigani Grade 5 Court in December. "The warrant that was issued on December 4, 2013, as a result of a formal complaint I laid with the Commissioner of Police alleging blatant abuse of official authority and illegal direction by the Prime Minister in directing payment (to a law firm named)."

"This I view as high level official corruption by the Prime Minister, his ministers and the departmental heads who together in my view have committed fraud on a similar scale to the NPF saga." He said when the complaint was laid, the Detective Chief Superintendent Mathew Damaru entered it on record in the police occurrence book, and was given the fraud crime report number 185 of 2013. He said as a result of that complaint, police through their investigations have concluded that these three gentlemen have a case to answer to.

"My concern is the inaction or the failure by the commissioner and the police - for failing to execute a warrant that has been outstanding for more than four weeks." "You will also read in the media that the Attorney General is wanted by police for allegedly assaulting an expatriate but action hasn’t been taken by the police since October."On the other hand you will have read about a lawyer assaulting his mother in-law and the police are taking action.

"I view this in my humble position as the Opposition Leader that there are two sets of rules that exist in this country - one for us the politicians and one for the little people."I demand that the Police Commissioner immediately execute the warrant of arrest for Peter O’Neill, Don Polye and James Marape.

"Let me make it very clear, it is not the police warrant but a warrant from the court. On top of the warrant there is also a set of restraining orders that restrain the Police Commissioner, his deputies and any other policemen or any other persons concerned from interfering.

"I charge that the failure to execute the warrant of arrest in the next 72-hours by the Police Commissioner and the police force will leave me with no option but to proceed with contempt of court proceedings against the Commissioner and any other person who is interfering with the course of justice," Mr Namah said.

Cource: Post-Courier, 07/01/2014

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