Papua New Guinea's former Attorney General says between 50 to 100 corruption-related cases are at risk of collapsing if the anti-corruption unit, Taskforce Sweep closes.
The unit has operated without funding since August, when the government refused to release the money allocated to it in the budget, following an unsuccessful attempt to have Taskforce Sweep disbanded.
The unit's operations are nearing exhaustion and its chair, Sam Koim, has been working without pay for four months.
Kerenga Kua, who set up the unit and was sacked as Attorney General when Taskforce Sweep issued an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, says the unit's work against corruption in PNG is coming undone.
"All those corruption-related charges are now going to be on the verge of collapse, I think between 50 and 100. Arrests that have already been made are on the verge of being lost and all these corruption-related charges going upunished. It's a major issue in the country right now."
The MP for Sinesine-Yongomul, Kerenga Kua. Photo: Supplied
Kerenga Kua says the government has deliberately misused its power to stop Taskforce Sweep.
