PNG’s political wrangling ‘stayed’ – for now
The Supreme Court in Port Moresby has stayed all arrest warrants issued for politicians, including treasurer Don Polye, and finance minister James Marape, following a major anti-corruption investigation. The matter will now be dealt with on February 11th. Earlier this week, Opposition leader Belden Namah successfully used a personal security detail to block his own arrest. He denied claims he made an implied ‘coup’ threat in a letter to the police commissioner. Earlier this month, a warrant for the arrest of PM Peter O’Neill triggered a series of investigations, suspensions and arrest orders. Namah has since blamed O’Neill for authorising the release of PGK 71.8 million in fraudulent payments to PNG’s largest law firm, Paraka Lawyers. It seems however that O’Neill has been ‘cleared’ by the country’s anti-corruption unit, Task Force Sweep.
