Former PM O’Neill found not guilty
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
Former PM O’Neill found not guilty
PORT MORESBY: Former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill was found not
guilty of abuse of office by the National Court yesterday (Oct 14, 2021).
Justice David Cannings ruled that the Government had
failed to prove that äny abuse of authority had occurred, let alone wilful
abuse”.
And O’Neill’s told his political opponents: “If you
want me out of politics, you have to defeat me at the 2022 General Election.”
Proceedings of the court findings were reported by The National:
Not guilty
October 15, 2021The
NationalMain Stories
By KARO JESSE
FORMER Prime Minister Peter O’Neill defiantly clenched his fist yesterday,
telling his political opponents “you have to defeat me at the elections”, after
being acquitted on an abuse of office charge.
“I am very happy that the judiciary has once again proven me not guilty,”
O’Neill said outside court.
“I know that there is a desire by my (political) opponents that I don’t
(contest) the coming elections.
“But I can assure (them) that I will be there.
“If they want me out of politics, they have to defeat me at the (2022 general)
elections.”
Justice David Cannings ruled that the State had failed to prove that “any abuse
of authority had occurred, let alone wilful abuse”.
O’Neill was accused of abusing his
office as prime minister over a letter dated Dec 4, 2013, that he wrote to
acting Treasury secretary Dairi Vele to identify funds to buy two 15-megawatt
diesel generators from Israel that year.
His lawyer Greg Sheppard had argued that the letter was not a directive from
O’Neill to pay K50 million to the Israeli firm LR Group Ltd for the generators.
He said O’Neill had rather requested the Treasury Department to identify funds
for the purchase of the generators.
Sheppard said Parliament had approved the payment through the Supplementary
Appropriation Bill (Supplementary Budget) in Nov 26, 2013.
He said O’Neill had acted in good faith.
Justice Cannings yesterday ruled that O’Neill was not guilty of the charge,
because the purpose of the letter to Vele, was preceded by a state visit to
Israel, involving the signing of a joint declaration of cooperation, including
closer economic ties between the two countries, and the signing of a memorandum
of understanding between PNG Power Ltd and the Israeli electric company.
“The purpose of the letter was to make funds available for a legitimate public
purpose, to ease power shortage in Port Moresby and Lae,” Justice Cannings
said.
“Whether it (letter) is regarded as a request or direction, it was not
accompanied by any threat of consequences for non-compliance, thus (O’Neill)
did not put any pressure on Vele or anyone else to do what he wanted done.
Therefore State failed to prove any abuse of authority had occurred, let alone
wilful abuse.”
He found that there was clear and rational reason for writing the letter as it
was part of an action sanctioned by the National Executive Council and the
Parliament, carried out for a legitimate public purpose.
Comments
Post a Comment