The Deputy Chief Justice today issued an order for Police Commissioner Gari Baki to appear at the Waigani National Court tomorrow morning.
Sir Gibbs Salika issued the order for Commissioner Baki to explain the consequences of his actions in closing the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate on April 18.
The orders came after Fraud officers investigating the case of Bogia MP, John Hickey could not access the files in the office in time for the trial that was supposed to commence today in Madang.
He said Commissioner Baki should not treat the Fraud office as ‘his private office’ as the office that investigates fraud matters.
Investigators from the Fraud Directorate are working with the Public Prosecutors in the case. The trial that was supposed to commence this morning did not proceed as set by the court.
The order was issued to the office of the Public Prosecutors office to serve to Commissioner Baki.
On Dec 4 last year, Magistrate Mekeo Gauli of the Waigani Committal Court found that there was sufficient evidence for the member to stand trial over allegations of official corruption, abuse of office and misappropriation between August 22 and Oct 3 of 2013.
It is alleged that Hickey being the chairman of the Joint District Planning and Budget Priorities Committee cashed out a cheque to the value of K680,000 to a Kapale Limited; a company owned by his adopted son Kelly Salung without proper tender process where Hickey is charged for official corruption.
The second charges of abuse of office is also said to have happened between the same period where the MP chaired a meeting which excluded all Local level government presidents as members of the Joint District Budget Priorities committee and allowed three ordinary members to sit in the meeting where they passed a resolution to purchase a ship worth K700,000.
Again this ship purchase was awarded to the company of his adopted son while the third charge is in relation to the misappropriation of K680,000 to Kapale limited.