PM James Marape's son, four others charged with laundering K1.3m
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
PM James Marape's son, four others
charged with laundering K1.3m
PORT MORESBY: Five people, including Prime Minister
James Marape’s son, have been arrested and charged with money laundering in
connectioin with the seizure of K1.3 million in Hela’s Komo on Saturday (July
2, 2022).
Police, acting on a
tip-off, accosted the five men carrying the cash.
And in Lae, police
detained five men and seized K22,000 which were believed to be used to bribe
voters, Lae Metropolitian Superintendent Chris Kunyanban said.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces the news break and a few General Election 2022 reports published by The National:
Marape’s son charged
July 7, 2022The NationalMain Stories
Police, acting on a tip-off on Saturday, accosted the five men carrying K1.3m
cash.
They were detained but released on Sunday night. Marape, who was in Hela to
cast his vote during the one-day polling on Monday, said no one was above the
law, including his family members.
He said the police should be allowed to do their job.
Provincial police commander Inspector Robin Bore said the five were arrested
and detained at the Tari police station and later released on a K2,000 bail
each.
“They were supposed to appear for first mention on Monday but because of the
polling, the case was adjourned,” he said.
“The case and all the evidence, including the cash, have been handed over to
the Investigation Task Force Unit from police headquarters who will be
conducting the investigation (for the sake of) transparency.”
The five include a company director, Marape’s son, and three of their tribesmen.
Marape also said he did not know about the money nor was he connected in any
way to the K1.3 million bust.
Cops nab five with K22,000
July 7, 2022The NationalMain Stories
“The five were in three vehicles entering a compound when we stopped them,
conducted a search and seized the money,” he said.
“They were released after their mug-shots were taken.”
Kunyanban said the five were supporters of a General Election 2022 (GE22)
candidate in Lae.
He said investigations were continuing and the suspects would be charged together
with the candidate.
“The money and vehicles are with the police now, pending investigations,” he
said.
“Since we are still in the polling period, we will delay arrests.
“The suspects are known, they will be called back for further questioning.” In
another GE22-incident on Monday night, a group of men blocked a vehicle and
started a fight.
“The suspects who started the fight have been arrested,” Kunyanban added.
In yet another GE22-related incident at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Indoor Stadium
on Tuesday, supporters of two candidates in the Lae Open were turned away after
they allegedly tried to temper the ballot papers stored there.
“If there are any issues that the supporters or scrutineers are unhappy with,
they should do the right thing by taking the matter to court and not to take
the matter into their own hands,” he said.
“The security personnel will remain at the stadium after polling and counting.
“We did not make any arrests because we were able to reason out with the
suspects.
Ballots at Lae’s Igam burnt after complaints
Keeping watch … With
the nation going to the polls for the General Election 2022 (GE22), Lae
district residents had their say at the booths on Monday. Pictured is ballot
box guard John Gesalic (right) assisting voters during the one-day polling on
Monday. – Nationalpic by LARRY ANDREW
By JIMMY KALEBE
POLICE in Lae have
brushed aside claims that the ballot papers that were burnt at Igam on Monday
were done by voters.
“I was on the ground with the other security personnel, polling officials,
scrutineers of candidates and the papers were burnt after consultation was
sought from the election officials,” Lae metropolitan police commander Chris
Kunyanban.
Kunyanban said a total of 300 ballot papers were burnt after people complained
that in the last election they had more papers to cater for the voting
population, but now, there were only 300 supplied which meant the majority
would not vote.
“That is why after all parties agreed, the papers were burnt in front of the
security personnel, polling officials, scrutineers after consulting with the
returning officer,” he said.
He refuted claims that the public had hijacked the electoral process and had
the ballot papers burned.
“This is not true, the burning of those papers was done with the consent of all
parties involved and present at the polling site at Igam.”
He said as a result of that there was no voting at the Igam polling station on
Monday.
Meanwhile, Kunyanban said police would now focus on the counting venues as
polling in Lae is complete and headed to the count.
He said police personnel in Lae would also assist the provincial police command
in escorting ballot boxes that were completed to counting venues in the
district headquarters.
Security support needed in Eastern Highlands,
says police
By GLORIA BAUAI
EASTERN Highlands will
need security support going into their polls next week with coverage required
for 662 polling areas, a police official says.
Assistant police commissioner for the Northern Command Peter Guinness said the
current number on ground was not enough.
“We’d like to have two police officers at every polling site but we do not have
that kind of manpower readily available to deploy,” he said.
Guinness said security personnel would be sourced from other commands to assist
with the polling which would commence on Tuesday (July 12).
“We have a rolling team available now to go to Eastern Highlands to support;
that’s 150 personnel from Lae metro command, another 50 from Madang, another
100 from Morobe command and National Capital District will also support with
about 50,” he said.
“I’ve also asked police headquarters to deploy a platoon of soldiers into
Eastern Highlands.
“Eastern Highlands will run for about a week; and when combined with Madang and
Morobe, it’s a large area we will have to manage at once.”
People in Hela protest, claim deprivation
Voting in progress … People queuing up to cast their votes at Papiali in Tari-Pori, Hela, on Monday. – Nationalpic by PETER WARI
A GROUP of around 30 people protested in front of the police station in Tari, Hela, yesterday, claiming that they were not allowed to vote in Tagali on Monday.
Provincial police commander Chief Inspector Robin Bore said the group wanted the seven ballot boxes brought in from Tagali on Monday to be declared “disputed”.
“They claimed that they were not given the opportunity to vote and demanded that the seven ballot boxes be (declared disputed),” he said.
“Why (did they) wait for 48 hours to raise this allegation?
“On Monday when polling was completed, the people of Tagali brought the boxes themselves and handed them to police to lock away for counting.
“So what changed in the past 48 hours?”
Bore said if there was “sufficient evidence, I would be happy to look into the allegations”.
He said nine people were arrested and detained at the Tari Police Station.
Bore said that apart from these two incidents polling in Hela, compared to past years, was fairly quiet and peaceful.
Tari-Pori Returning Officer Willie Kara said all the ballot boxes had been locked away.
“We are ready for counting,” he said.
“I have not received any reports of tampering with the boxes.”
Bore said that there were no other protests during polling.
The counting centre for the Hela regional seat and the Tari-Pori Open seat is being organised for the start of counting.
All the boxes will be brought to the centre before the counting begins.
Police to lead awareness on voting
AN awareness will be conducted in Mt Hagen on the importance and significance of electing good leaders to parliament, says Eastern End police commander Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop.
He said police would be assisted by leaders of churches and the business community in Mt Hagen.
Tondop said the awareness was “better late than never” to educate the people on the polling process.
“People fail to realise that their votes are powerful which they should not ignore or waste,” he said.
“The awareness will be targeting the youths given the fact that they are the active population who can do anything and everything in this crucial time.”
Tondop said some people wanted to abuse the laws during the elections, thus the awareness was a good opportunity to bring everyone together to ensure a free, fair and safe process.
Meanwhile, provincial police commander Supt John Sagom said members of the joint security force had two response units present to ensure safety.
“We have the Quick Response Force and the Rapid Response Force on the ground to make sure polling is safe,” he said.
Avoid corrupt
practices: Soheke
July 7, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
He said this following reports from many polling sites that voters whose names
were not in the 2022 common roll voted using any name.
Soheke, while accepting the issue of a non-updated common roll being the
failure of the Electoral Commission, reminded people that it was everyone’s
responsibility to fight corruption.
“The proper process is to check your name and vote,” he said.
“Electoral managers or management of election removing names from the roll is
corruption; likewise, voting in the absence of your name is corruption.
“As much as possible, we should have avoided that.
“ We all should be working towards a free and fair election,” Soheke said.
The National received reports from across Morobe that many names
were missing from the common roll.
Lack of awareness and information dissemination were causing confusion among
registered voters.
The National also noted complaints by workers in Lae, Wampar and
Nawaeb Urban missing out on the one-day polling due to it not being a public
holiday.
Police also said some people were trying to cross over to other polling
stations to vote again.
Soheke expressed gratitude to voters who had understanding of the issues.
‘Double voting’ a security concern in Lae,
Morobe
By JIMMY KALEBE
PEOPLE living in
illegal settlements in Lae city are providing a huge challenge to security
during one-day polling for Lae open, an official says.
Lae Metropolitan Chief Supt Chris Kunyanban said people squatting illegally on
state and customary land wanted to carry out illegal activities during the
polling on Monday.
“I have been in the past speaking to the media in Lae, raised concerns to the
appropriate authorities to address the issue of illegal settlements that are
booming in Lae,” he said.
“Now we have proved it that it has actually caused issues during the polling
period.”
Chief Supt Kunyanban said some voters in Lae were trying to vote twice
allegedly resided in those illegal settlements.
“They tried their best to go to all polling booths in the city to cast their
votes when they actually were not on the common roll.
“Maybe because they had just arrived,” he said.
Another issue that security personnel identified at the polling sites was that
many eligible voters were not on common roll and missed out on voting.
There were also typing errors of names in the roll as well.
“The Electoral Commission now has to prioritise common roll update in advance
in preparation for the General Election in 2027”.
Chief Supt Kunyanban said the common roll issue put a lot of stress on security
personnel and polling official on Monday.
“When people have no names on the common roll, they started arguing with the
security personnel and the polling officials.
“After all, the problem was not created by us.
“It was the doing of the EC,” he said.
Chief Supt Kunyanban said on Monday, drunkards at the Omili Primary School
polling booth and 3-Mile Police Station where a police vehicle and a policeman
were stoned caused trouble.
Morobe’s assistant election manager to fill in
RO role
MOROBE assistant
election manager Fredah Joses says she will fill the role of Finschhafen
Returning Officer (RO) in General Election 2022.
She said both appointments of Esia Batu and Kawage Mesere had been revoked by
the Electoral Commission.
“I have been appointed and gazetted as the assistant provincial returning
officer along with election manager Simon Soheke, who is the provincial
returning officer,” she said.
“Based on our gazettals and respective roles, I can fill in where there are
issues or there is a need.
“With this recognition, I will now be moving to Finschhafen to help oversee,
facilitate and for everyone to see and know that there is someone neutral who is
trying pull together the election.
“But otherwise, all our officials (assistant ROs) on are very experienced and
more than capable.
“They have been briefed, they know what to do and they have the equipment.”
Joses said while the electoral office was only a facilitator, the success of
the process depended on the voters, officials, candidates and scrutineers.
“We cannot allow a handful of people who are willingly, knowingly breaking the
law to take advantage of the whole system and hold all of us at ransom,” she
said
“I highly discourage anyone who is trying to manipulate the system.
“If you have a problem, there are procedures in place to express your
grievance.”
“All disciplinary matters happening currently are not light matters. But these
are by a handful, the majority of the people in Morobe are good people.”
Meanwhile, Soheke confirmed that all issue with the Finschhafen returning
officers had being dealt with.
Morobe polling teams facing transport problems
By JACINTA COHLEE
MOROBE’S two districts are struggling to send election materials and polling
teams to polling areas that are far away from the districts stations due to
transportation problems.
Returning Officer (RO) for Wau-Waria Fidelis Harissol said teams that were supposed
to be transported with election materials to one of the polling areas in the
Waria local level government (LLG) are still at Garaina Station waiting for a
helicopter.
“The helicopter pilot refused to take all the teams due to limited space and
selected the presiding polling officer, assistant polling officer and a
policeman only.
“It is a two-day walk to the location of the polling area where all teams
needed to be dispatched together because of their safety,” Harissol said.
“But we cannot do much because there’s only one chopper.
“So we’ll have to wait at Garaina station and look for other options.”
Harissol said, despite hiccups, the polling in Wau-Waria was progressing well
because issues were being addressed properly.
He said that Wau urban started the polling yesterday and expected to complete
it by tomorrow, and for Wau rural the poll would be completed today or
tomorrow.
Tewae-Siassi returning officer Lancelot Kamake said polling in the district was
supposed to be on Monday, but due to transportation issues with funding, it was
moved to yesterday.
Kamake said that for Sialum LLG: “Ground logistics are the problem where there
is no car and chopper to transport the election materials from Sialum station
to Masa, ward 18 and 19.
“Polling teams have been transported now in a car with the election materials.
“The car will leave them somewhere and they’d walk to the wards.”
Kamake said they were expecting to complete polling on Monday.
Because they will be starting late, counting would be on Wednesday or Thursday
next week.
Kamake added that the Sialum LLG had police personnel already for the polling
and counting.
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