15 Jan 2016

Vanuatu police critic suspended

1:13 pm on 15 January 2016

Vanuatu's caretaker Prime Minister Sato Kilman has suspended a police superintendent from duty.

Mr Kilman told Jackson Noal in his suspension letter that he has read the reports submitted by the acting Police Commissioner, John Taleo.

Last week, Superintendent Noal wrote a letter to the chairman of Police Service Commission, Herve Hopkins, asking for Taleo's dismissal.

Last month, Taleo was convicted on two counts of dangerous driving after he was involved in two serious accidents with police trucks.

He will be sentenced on January the 25th.

In his letter, Mr Noal, who headed a group of police officers, said Mr Hopkins should dismiss Taleo, because he has been found to have committed an offence as stipulated in the Police Act.

Mr Noal says Mr Kilman suspended him because he was telling the truth.