Papua New Guinea Police admit they lack the manpower to work on 5000 money laundering cases recorded by the Bank of PNG.
National fraud and anti-corruption acting director, Chief Inspector Pare Kuiap, told the Post Courier the office has only three police officers, and neither of them have sufficient investigative skills to work on the cases.
Such sensitive cases are not completed overnight, but take a lot of effort, resources and money to investigate and prosecute, Kuiap said.
Photo: PNG Police Facebook
He said these cases are from previous years, and he needs at least 15 detectives to pursue them, as well as other cases.
The majority of the detectives in the unit have transferred to other areas, and they have submitted a request for more manpower.
Kuiap said his officer in charge had yet to provide him records of cases they had looked into to allow him to give actual details of investigations they have handled so far.
Last week the acting Governor Bank of Papua New Guinea Benny Popoitai said FASU has recorded 5000 cases of anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing in PNG, which are yet to be investigated and prosecuted.
Popoitai said FASU did not have the power to prosecute these cases.
He said cases sent to the Ombudsmen Commission and Police had not been dealt with appropriately to date.
The head of police illicit and narcotics investigation team, Donald Yamasombi, who is also responsible for the crimes division, raised concerns this week that the number of crimes committed around the country does not match arrests and investigations made so far and a lot needs to be done.
Assistant Commissioner Police (crimes) Hodges Ette said that fraud complaints at the national anti-fraud corruption closed early this year due to the 2022 National General Elections have resumed but at slower pace due to the high number of election-related complaints filed.
Ette said the increased number of complaints filed this year means detectives will have to work extra hard once all the new cases are listed for investigations.
He described this year's election as one of the most chaotic and worst elections compared to previous years.