Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare a short time ago charged that top officials were being sidelined or got rid of as part of a plan by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
He claimed there was a move to “sideline’’ the Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika as part of a plan to remove officers who were seen to be acting against the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister strenuously denied the claims and told Sir Michael he was being “mischievous and self serving’’.
The East Sepik governor in Question Time claimed that the Prime Minister was trying to remove all official figure who were trying to fight corruption.
He named the deputy chief justice, Tom Kulunga the former police commissioner, Sam Koim (Task Force Sweep chairman) and former chief ombudsman Rigo Lua and others like Assistant Police Commissioner Thomas Eluh.
Mr O’Neill described Sir Michael’s questions as “nonsense’’ and said there was nothing to the claims.
On a member of the judiciary like the deputy chief justice, not the Cabinet, a prime minister, a minister, could do anything.
It was up to the Appointments Committee, headed by the Chief Justice himself, that appointments were decided on, Mr O’Neill said.
He said Mr Kulunga was removed as Commissioner because of a court action. In other cases, these were matters handled by other agencies.