Resign over land-grabbing episode, Pruaitch tells Tkatchenko

News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Resign over land-grabbing episode, Pruaitch tells Tkatchenko

PORT MORESBY: Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko must resign immediately following a committal court ruling that he was involved in a land-grabbing episode, former Opposition and Alliance Leader Patrick Pruaitch says.

“Unless Tkatchenko intends to appeal, which is unlikely, Prime Minister James Marape will have no choice but to sack him (from the cabinet),” he added.

For context, read this earlier report: https://pngcybermonitor.blogspot.com/2022/10/court-rules-land-grabbing-post-on.html (Court rules land-grabbing post on Facebook true)

The news break was reported by The National:

Tkatchenko must resign, says Pruaitch

October 31, 2022The NationalMain Stories

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko must resign immediately following a committal court ruling that he was involved in a land-grabbing episode, says former Opposition leader and National Alliance leader Patrick Pruaitch.
“Unless Tkatchenko intends to appeal the decision, which is unlikely, Prime Minister James Marape will have no choice but to sack him (from the cabinet),” he added.
Tkatchenko is expected to make a statement today on the matter. On Thursday, Tkatchenko in his capacity as Moresby South MP, took out a defamation case against Robert Agen, from Chimbu’s Sinasina over a Facebook accusation on “land-grabbing”.
Magistrate Paul Puri Nii ruled that Agen had provided valid support for his accusation, providing the court with proof that land had been transferred from the National Capital District Commission to a business entity of Tkatchenko’s wife.
Pruaitch said this appeared to be an open-and-shut case.
He expressed hope that the Ombudsman Commission and Fraud Squad would pay close attention to land deals involving cabinet ministers and their associates, particularly in view of earlier allegations.
Pruaitch noted that less than two weeks ago, media reports quoted Institute of National Affairs executive director Paul Barker as saying that State land was being used as “vehicles for corruption”.
Barker said some ministers and senior officials had allocated lucrative land assets to themselves, often for progressive sale to others.
“It is my contention,” Pruaitch said, “that the level of corruption has increased significantly since the last National Alliance Government was (allegedly) illegally ousted from office in August 2011.”
Tkatchenko said he would hold a press conference today to respond to Pruaitch’s comments.




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