The Acting Police Commissioner has relayed the Prime Minister’s concern over the seemingly lack of accountability on some of the high profile police cases.
Francis Tokura gave as an example the three recent high profile arrests of public servants.
Warning bells sounded when a senior PNG Customs officer was arrested for his involvement in an alleged tax evasion, the arrest of MRDC Managing Director Augustine Mano as well as the arrest of the CEO of the National Gaming Control Board.
Acting Police Commissioner Tokura said the senior management of the Royal PNG Constabulary had no visibility on these cases until the arrests were published in the media.
Tokura says the Prime Minister is concerned that the police is being manipulated by outside interests to effect arrests.
“You commanders have a duty to ensure that there is accountability, transparency and proper management of all cases under investigation, especially when high profile persons are involved. Also equally important is the fact that you have a duty to inform the Police Top Management and especially the Office of the Police Commissioner on the status of these investigations.
“The lack of proper management of cases will and can result in policemen being influenced by outside interests, thus creating more distrust amongst the community at large and cause them to lose respect for police.”
Under the Marape-Steven Government, the RPNGC has been directed to work hard at winning back the people’s trust. This aligns with the Government’s ambitious vision of making PNG a rich, black Christian nation.