Pacific / Papua New Guinea

PNG PM safe from arrest warrant for now

09:49 am on 6 April 2016

Papua New Guinea fraud squad police are still not able to issue an arrest warrant on the prime minister over an alleged fraud case despite a supreme court ruling allowing their probe to resume.

An arrest warrant was issued for Peter O'Neill over two years ago in relation to his role in allegedly illegal state payments of around 30 million US dollars to a law firm.

PNG PM Peter O'Neill speaking at a recent conference. Photo: PNG Prime Ministers Office

Both Mr O'Neill was able to effect stay orders preventing fraud officers from arresting or interviewing them.

However the court yesterday discharged the orders preventing the investigation, which allows for the investigation of the prime minister to resume.

The director of the Fraud and Anti-Corruption unit, Matthew Damaru said that they're working hard to bring the case to finality.

"Yeah well we've gone through our share of problems with top management and the (police) commissioner, but as far as we are concerned, we're just doing our jobs. So we have nothing to lose, we have nothing to gain, but to simply do our jobs, serving the 7.5 or however many million Papua New Guineans and their interests."