21 Nov 2006

PNG police relieved that acting commissioner cleared in probe

3:17 pm on 21 November 2006

Papua New Guinea police says there is relief in the force that the acting police commissioner Fred Sheekiot has been cleared of any serious misconduct.

The two allegations against him involved a 1.4 million US dollars claim made to the department of finance, and freeing a female detainee from a police cell.

Both allegations were investigated by the Police and Ombudsman Commission.

A police spokesperson, Dominic Kakas, says the inquiry has cleared Mr Sheekiot of any wrongdoing and police officers have agreed to work together.

"It is a bit of relief and in fact Mr Sheekiot and the deputy commissioner Tom Kulunga, outgoing commissioner, the acting deputy Tony Wagambie and senior officers all got together in which they vowed to work together."

Dominic Kakas.

This month, Fred Sheekiot was appointed to the acting police commissioner position after the former acting police commissioner Tom Kulunga was suspended over the Julian Moti affair.