Sylvester Kalaut

The pair were seeking to dismiss an appeal application at the Supreme Court filed by current Police Commissioner David Manning, for want of prosecution.

The decision was handed down on Friday 30^th July 2021.

The matter was presided over by Justice Ellenas Batar, Justice Stephen Kassman and Justice Peter Toliken at the Waigani Supreme Court.

Through their lawyer David Doataona, Kalaut and Yakasa argued that since they filed their application on January 26^th, the defendant has not progressed their appeal.

He was arrested and charged by police investigators yesterday with Director Human Resources, Superintendent Bob Kerry, who was also charged with the same offences.

Both are out on bail.

Police allege that between December 19, 2018, and December 31, 2019, Kerry and Kalaut were signatories to the Police Pension Suspense account held at the Bank South Pacific as per their capacities as Director Human Resources and ACP Human Resources of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary respectively.

Assistant Commissioner for Police-Human Resource, Sylvester Kalaut, highlighted this during the launch of the constabulary’s reviewed structure to the Department of Personnel Management. 

ACP Kalaut said considering the demands of policing, the size of the force has increased and the structure has remained the same. However, some police stations have not been covered in the structure.

 “With the demand, the size of the constabulary has to expand.”

This also includes PNG as a whole.

Many of the issues being faced daily are ‘crimes against persons’.

These are crimes such as assaults, grievous body harm, rape, sexual violence and murder.

Outgoing NCD/ Central Commander, Sylvester Kalaut, says the society we live in has become complex.

Kalaut said this in itself is a challenge for the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary on a daily basis.

“It shows a breakdown in society where people don’t respect each other and not even treasure life.”

Kalaut held a hand over parade this morning was witnessed by senior police officials of the police hierarchy.

This hand over comes after the call by the commissioner for police for changes in some of the senior positions in the Royal PNG Constabulary hierarchy.

The ceremony makes official one of the 26 positions of the reshuffling directives by Police Commissioner, Gari Baki.

Kalaut will be taking office as the new Assistant Commissioner (ACP) Human Resources at the Police Headquarters.

NCD/Central Police Commander, Sylvester Kalaut, says the two suspects were performing police duties and were in police uniform at Gerehu along Toliman Street yesterday, at around 3pm, alongside a regular member of the force.

The two accused, Vincent Friday of Konos Village, Central New Ireland, and Junior Morea of Porebada Village, were apprehended and taken in for interrogation by the Police Internal Affairs Office.

Eyewitness and community security leader, Fred Bau, alleged that policemen fired shots, destroyed stalls and markets belonging to vendors near their village yesterday morning.

The claims were leveled against 5 suspects; 3 in police uniform and another 2 in civilian.

NCD/Central Commander, Assistant Commissioner Sylvester Kalaut, confirmed that the incident took place along a roadside market along Hanuabada Village.

Shaken by the incident, villagers could not comment on the reason behind the incident.

Commissioner Baki in a statement said he had issued the transfer directives for operational expediency in light of current internal command and control issues and issues arising from the 2017 National General Elections.

Commissioner Baki said his transfer directives are final and he will not accept any refusal from any of the senior officers affected.

“They will take their posts as directed and with immediate effect,” Commissioner Baki said, adding that all movements are supposed to be completed by 31st October this year.

The 26 transfers are as follows:

This follows the suspected arson incident on Thursday, 05^th of October, which almost saw the destruction of the two-storey police building at Boroko Police Station.

The building accommodates the NCD Commander’s office space, prosecutions and the Criminal Investigation Department.

Kalaut should be sidelined for thorough investigations to take place, reasons Turi.

The blame should not be shifted on the key suspect (clerk) alone. Although investigations may prove otherwise, the commander himself should also be investigated.