14 Mar 2007

PNG probe into police corruption starts at the top

8:35 pm on 14 March 2007

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has endorsed an immediate police operation to investigate corruption in the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary,

The Post Courier reports that the investigation will start with the hierarchy at Police headquarters.

The investigation, which is to be headed by Chief Inspector Joe Gawi, will look at corrupt practices by senior police officers including the police commissioner's office.

It will investigate cases handled by junior officers which were thwarted by the hierarchy and never completed.

Among the cases to be investigated are the involvement of senior police officers with owners of horse race machines, casinos and the approval of confiscated illegal firearms returned to suspects without any formal charges.