TASK FORCE SWEEP TEAM HAS NO POWER AND AUTHORITY TO EXONERATE THE PRIME MINISTER

PNG Opposition leader Belden Namah

Media Release

In light of what the Investigation Task Force Sweep Team (ITFST) Chairman Sam Koim said in the media, he appears to have publicly ‘exonerated’ the Prime Minister on allegations of official corruption and fraud. Opposition leader, Belden Namah condemn the decision of Task Force Sweep Team to free PM.

I condemn in the strongest possible terms and criticize his position as if his and the ITFST’s findings on the official complaint are conclusive.

I have laid formal complaint on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for his participation in a scheme (payment to Paul Paraka Lawyers) to defraud the State of hundreds and millions of kina of public monies.

I condemn Sam Koim and the ITFST findings as if such findings emanate directly from a properly constituted court of law having dwelt on all evidence before it. 

Sam Koim and ITSFT is not the competent authority. They are not Police Force or the Court of Law.

I would like to say this.

A properly constituted court of law is the only tribunal of fact which can determine on evidence and in accordance with law whether O’Neill wrote the directive letter of 24th January 2012 or not. 

Sam Koim and the Sweep Team do not have the power to exonerate Prime Minister O’Neill.

This is a clear perversion of the course of justice where our worst fears of possible impropriety on the part of ITFST with clear indication of bias in favour of the Prime Minister had now materialised. 

With the arrest of the former Finance Secretary Steven Gibson on charges of conspiracy with Ministers Polye and Marape to defraud the State, based on the written direction from the PM dated 24th January 2012, PM hopes to have these trio roasted on the sacrificial table so he can escape justice.

The public of PNG must question how the two Ministers acted on a direction apparently by letter bearing his signature, and acting accordingly in turn to carry out his directive, are now left with accusations that they conspired without PM’s knowledge and defrauded the STATE.

O’Neill’s deception and ruthlessness has now evidently emerged and we must all now fight to bring him to justice.

If people of this country have previously been hesitant over this issue, they have no reason any longer to be hesitant.

I call on all Trade Unions, Public Servants, Politicians on both sides of the House, Churches, Anti-Corruption organizations including Transparency International and the Public to now seize the issue and to call on the Prime Minister O’Neill to resign immediately.

Everyone must call for the PM’s arrest and for him to be charged. Everyone must demand his resignation now that it is clear he no doubt had, in his position as Police Minister as well, meddled in the police investigations where he was the suspect.