Contempt proceedings filed against PNG police chief

12:28 pm on 2 May 2016
PNG police on patrol

PNG police on patrol Photo: AFP

Contempt proceedings have been filed in a Papua New Guinea court against the police commissioner Gari Baki.

The head of PNG's police suspended the director of the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate, Matthew Damaru, two weeks ago.

Mr Damaru had recently directed high profile arrests of the Attorney-General Ano Pala, and the prime minister's lawyer, Tiffany Twivey.

Gari Baki told media at the time that the fraud office was erratic and its leaders had kept him "out of the loop".

The local court issued a stay order on Mr Damaru's suspension, prompting Mr Baki to close the fraud office and lock Mr Damaru out.

McRonald Nale of Jema Lawyers, who is representing Mr Damaru, indicated that contempt proceedings had been filed and that there would be more coming.

Last year, the previous police commissioner Geoffrey Vaki, was sentenced to three years' jail for obstructing fraud squad members from enforcing an arrest warrant against the prime minister.

Mr Vaki has appealed the decision.

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