15 Feb 2016

Vanuatu police commissioner case takes constitutional turn

4:38 pm on 15 February 2016

Vanuatu's Commissioner of Police has filed a constitutional case against the Police Service Commission to challenge his suspension last year for causing an accident in his official car while under the influence of alcohol.

John Taleo's suspension was for an indefinite period to allow the Police Service Commission to conduct an investigation into the accident.

Taleo was convicted in December on two counts of dangerous driving after he was involved in two serious accidents with police trucks while driving official vehicles.

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Photo: RNZ

He was sentenced last month to pay the equivalent of $US 300, or face eight months' imprisonment.

Taleo has since been reinstated as the Police Commissioner, and his constitutional challenge is at the early conference stage.