Prime Minister James Marape’s determination to address corruption and sorcery-related violence continues with the introduction of three more related bills in Parliament yesterday (Thursday 24).
Amendments to the Criminal Code to criminalise purported seers or ‘glasman’ and ‘glasmeri’, their activities, and those who engage their services in the perpetration of Sorcery Accused Related Violence (SARV), was proposed to Parliament by East Sepik Governor, Allan Bird and passed unanimously on voices.
This is one of the results from the work of the bi-partisan parliamentary committee from which the amended Criminal Code will now play a big role in addressing SARV in the prosecution or the fining of these seers.
Prime Minister Marape also brought before Parliament the Amendment Bill on the Leadership Code (Alternative Penalties) Act, which was unanimously passed as well.
Amendments proposed in the Bill was for the increase in the amount of the fine to K10,000 by the leadership tribunal in cases that do not attract a dismissal from office.
Marape said over the years of implementing Section 31 of the Constitution, it has become clear that there are some offenses that should only attract a fine rather than a harsher penalty.
“This proposal provides an option for the fines to be administratively imposed so that we avoid very expensive inquiries which may result in just fines being imposed. It addresses both the interest of the State as well as the interest of the leader for these determinations to be made upfront,” Marape said.
Meanwhile, Member for Esa’ala and former Justice Minister and Attorney-General Davis Steven commended the Bill from his side in the Opposition.
He said he supported this particular Bill also on behalf of the judiciary who has expressed on several occasions through cases that have reviewed the work of the leadership tribunals, for the review of this particular legislation, which is intended to increase the amount of the fine when the leader is found guilty.
“Because in my former life, I know I have represented certain leaders who are still here who have been found guilty and fined only K1000 which is contrary to the expectation of our community at large. And so this is a timely amendment and it should be supported,” Steven said.
The Amendment Bill on the Organic Law on the Duties & Responsibilities of Leadership, also proposed by the Prime Minister, could not master the two-thirds required majority votes of 74, falling short by four votes. The votes have been rescinded by Parliament and the Bill is still going through the readings.
PM Marape said the work before Parliament now is to strengthen and modernise the Ombudsman Commission by reducing the length of tenure to only two terms and to bring into the ambit of the Leadership Code those leaders managing the country’s monies in the state-owned enterprises such as Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited and Kumul Mining.