PM James Marape’s son among three detained by police with K1.3m, gun

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PM James Marape’s son among three detained by police with K1.3m, gun

PORT MORESBY: Prime Minister James Marape’s son was among three men detained by police for questioning after they were found carrying K1.3 million and a gun in Hela on Saturday (July 2, 2022).

The money was in a bag and the gun, belonging to an Ipuan Construction Ltd director, was found to be licensed.

All three were released from the Tari police station on Sunday (July 3, 2022) without the police filling any charges. The money was, however, seized as evidence to facilitate investigations.

Marape, in an immediate response, said no one, including his family members, is above the law.

“My son had nothing to do with the cash and gun. If police believe they had committed a crime, it is police business to carry out their duties.

“Let police carry out their investigation and see if a crime has been committed,” he added.

The news break was reported by The National:

PM: No one above the law

July 5, 2022The NationalMain Stories

By REBECCA KUKU
and LULU MARK
PRIME Minister James Marape says no one, including his family members, is above the law, after three men including his son were detained following the discovery of K1.3 million cash on one of the other two.
The man, a company director, was also carrying a gun which police later found out he had a licence for.
The three were released from the Tari Police Station on Sunday night. No charges were laid against any of them. Police are still investigating the matter.
Marape, who was at Papiali in Tari to cast his vote for his Tari-Pori seat in Hela yesterday, said the police were only doing their jobs.
“Even my family members are not above the law,” he said.
Marape said his son had nothing to do with the cash and gun.
“If police believe they had committed a crime, it is police business to carry out their duties.
“Let the police carry out their investigation and see if a crime has been committed.”
He said he had no link to or any interest in the money.
“The money does not belong to me. What would I need it for?” he said.
Marape explained that he had sent his son on Saturday to take some journalists for a sight-seeing tour of Komo and the LNG site when he met the company director carrying the cash.
“He was there with the media personnel when he met the company director and was brought in with him by the police,” he said.
“When my son was detained, I didn’t use my position to (have him released) because no one is above the law, including my family.”
Marape said his son just happened to be in the vicinity and was not there to pick up the money.
“There was nothing illegal in as far as my son was concerned,” he said.
“The police thought that it was suspicious and it’s a matter that is handled by police as we speak.”
Provincial police commander Inspector Robin Bore could not be reached for comment but police sources said the cash and gun were brought in by Ipuan Construction Ltd director Seti Palipe.
The gun was registered.
Palipe said the money was for his company. “I travel often via the Komo terminal. I know there will be checks,” he said.
“The money belongs to my company (which I) brought for company business.
“Because I was carrying money, I brought my gun as well, which is licenced.
“I had arranged for a policeman to escort me into town.”

Marape casts vote in Hela

July 5, 2022The NationalMain Stories

By Rebecca Kuku
and Lulu Mark
POLLING in Hela began yesterday with Prime Minister James Marape voting in his Paibali village, hoping to retain his Tari-Pori seat.
Assistant Election Manager Anna Pame said there were 275 polling stations in the province.
“All ballot boxes were inserted into the main centres and then transported by car to the polling sites,” she said. Pame said the 275 polling teams were at the polling stations with security officers.
There were no major security incidents reported.
Provincial police commander Inspector Robin Bore said members of the police Quick Response Force were on standby “in case any security issues arise”.
Marape said polling was conducted peacefully although there were hiccups to logistics, such as helicopters arriving late.
Marape said helicopters had to be used in remote areas where there were no roads to transport ballot boxes and officials.
“The logistics was not organised properly,” he said.
“We had helicopters coming in late.”
Marape urged provincial and district administrations throughout the country to support the work of the Electoral Commission until the return of writs.
He said the campaign period nationwide had concluded “on a good note despite one or two incidents”.
“Fortunately for Hela there were no substantial incidents,” he said.
Marape thanked the people for allowing the process of democracy to flow smoothly.
He said the political parties were out in force staging strong campaigns.

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18 wards, 2 electorates ballot papers reprinted: EC

EIGHTEEN wards and two electorates had their ballot papers replaced on June 16, after the Electoral Commission received the third batch of ballot papers from the Australian government, an official says.
Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai said the wards affected were in Enga and Eastern Highlands.
The two open electorates are in Bougainville.
“The 16 wards in the Kandep rural local level government had their ballot papers reinstated and reprinted, Ward 21 in Wakumare, Wabag in Enga, and Ward 14 of Tunukau, West Okapa in Eastern Highlands had additional ballot papers supplied,” he said.
The two electorates in Bougainville are in the North and Central districts.
Sinai said the reason for reprinting ballot papers for the Kandep wards was because of the incorrect names on the pad covers.
For the ward in Wabag, it was because of the boundary with Kompiam-Ambun.
He said Ward 14 in Tunukau also had a shortage of ballot papers because of a mistake during a roll update exercise.
He said the reason for supplying extra ballot papers for the two electorates in Bougainville was the inconsistency in the electoral roll data received from the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner in June.
“We identified a shortfall from the 2017 electoral roll and an addition of 10,500 generic ballot papers were printed to supplement the ones already printed,” Sinai said.