23 Mar 2011

Tonga's police commissioner says allegations of improper car use are malicious

7:14 pm on 23 March 2011

Tonga's Police Commissioner says the suggestion that he's used a police vehicle in an improper manner is malicious and without foundation.

Chris Kelley says the suggestion that his daughter was given the use of a police vehicle during a visit to Tonga is contained in a letter that was addressed to the Police Minister.

Other media are reporting the letter as a second petition for the Commissioner's removal following an earlier petition allegedly signed by 150 police officers.

However the Commissioner says although he knows who wrote the letter, the copy he's seen hasn't been signed by anyone and is low on facts.

"The facts of the matter are that I have a contract vehicle from New Zealand as part of my employment package. The vehicle does not belong to the Tonga Police or the Tonga government. Nor do I use petrol from the Tonga Police budget to run it. My contract allows for personal use of that vehicle by immediate family members and I think that allegation is malicious and without foundation."

Chris Kelley says the letter's author is an officer under investigation but he's still waiting to be told the identities of the petition's signatories.