Court warns Kramer to stop interfering in police cases, O’Neill can be questioned by cops
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| (Above) Former prime minister Peter O’Neill can be questioned by police. |
Court warns Kramer to stop interfering in police cases, O’Neill can be questioned by cops
PORT MORESBY: The National Court has warned Police Minister Minister Bryan Kramer not to interfere in the day-to-day operations of the police force.
Deputy Justice Ambeng Kandakasi also told Kramer to stop receiving direct complaints from individuals reminding the minister that he had to stay away from operational matters and focus on issues affecting police officers to improve on them and not getting involved in individual matters.
Justice Kandakasi made the orders in the Waigani National Court on Thursday (March 5, 2020) in the case filed by former prime minister Peter O’Neill against Kramer, who the former claimed had posted on social media defamatory statements against him.
However, Justice Kandakasi denied O’Neill’s request that the court issue an order to stop police from interviewing him on certain criminal allegations.
This means O’Neill can either make himself available for his statement to be recorded by police or be arrested.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below the details of the court proceedings as reported by The National:
Court warns Kramer
By KARO JESSEA COURT has ordered Police Minister Bryan Kramer not to interfere in the day-to-day operations of the Police Department, and to refrain from posting allegations against individuals on social media.
Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi made the order in the National Court in Waigani during the case filed by former prime minister Peter O’Neill against Kramer, who the latter claimed had posted on social media defamatory statements against him.
O’Neill’s request that the court issue an order to stop police from interviewing him on certain criminal allegations was refused.
O’Neill had sought the order after Kramer, on his Facebook page, made various allegations against O’Neill.
Justice Kandakasi said what Kramer had posted were mere allegations.
He also told Kramer to stop receiving direct complaints from individuals. “(The) minister has to stay away from operational matters and focus on issues affecting police officers to improve on them and not getting involved in individual matters,” he said.
Justice Kandakasi also made it clear yesterday that the order was to prevent Kramer from using his social media platform to perform his leadership and not to infringe on police operations.
He advised Kramer to focus on policy matters such as weeding out corruption in the police force, providing housing for police officers and fixing transport issues in the constabulary.
He said Kramer as the police minister should act only and strictly in accordance with Section 196 of the Constitution as interpreted and clarified by the Supreme Court.
Justice Kandakasi told Kramer not to post any allegation against any individual on social media without disclosing evidence.
Kramer was also told not to interfere in police operations in regards to O’Neill’s complaint, or any other individual’s complaint lodge with the police, including arrest warrants or the arrest of any person.
Kramer must not also receive any complaints from any individual because he is not part of the police force.
“Except only to report to police and well known authorities like the Ombudsman Commission with the necessary and relevant supporting evidence. Kramer, his servants, agents and friends and followers on social media are also restrained from using social media pavement and any other modem of communication to give views on how any particular complaint should be investigated, what stages they are at, where and how an accused person will be arrested and how the accused person should be dealt with.”
Police are at liberty to arrest or question O’Neill.
Justice Kandakasi also ordered East Sepik Governor Allan Bird appear before him on April 8 to explain why he raised a matter before the court in Parliament.
Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi made the order in the National Court in Waigani during the case filed by former prime minister Peter O’Neill against Kramer, who the latter claimed had posted on social media defamatory statements against him.
O’Neill’s request that the court issue an order to stop police from interviewing him on certain criminal allegations was refused.
O’Neill had sought the order after Kramer, on his Facebook page, made various allegations against O’Neill.
Justice Kandakasi said what Kramer had posted were mere allegations.
He also told Kramer to stop receiving direct complaints from individuals. “(The) minister has to stay away from operational matters and focus on issues affecting police officers to improve on them and not getting involved in individual matters,” he said.
Justice Kandakasi also made it clear yesterday that the order was to prevent Kramer from using his social media platform to perform his leadership and not to infringe on police operations.
He advised Kramer to focus on policy matters such as weeding out corruption in the police force, providing housing for police officers and fixing transport issues in the constabulary.
He said Kramer as the police minister should act only and strictly in accordance with Section 196 of the Constitution as interpreted and clarified by the Supreme Court.
Justice Kandakasi told Kramer not to post any allegation against any individual on social media without disclosing evidence.
Kramer was also told not to interfere in police operations in regards to O’Neill’s complaint, or any other individual’s complaint lodge with the police, including arrest warrants or the arrest of any person.
Kramer must not also receive any complaints from any individual because he is not part of the police force.
“Except only to report to police and well known authorities like the Ombudsman Commission with the necessary and relevant supporting evidence. Kramer, his servants, agents and friends and followers on social media are also restrained from using social media pavement and any other modem of communication to give views on how any particular complaint should be investigated, what stages they are at, where and how an accused person will be arrested and how the accused person should be dealt with.”
Police are at liberty to arrest or question O’Neill.
Justice Kandakasi also ordered East Sepik Governor Allan Bird appear before him on April 8 to explain why he raised a matter before the court in Parliament.
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