14 Sep 2020

Vanuatu Opposition claim police bias in govt investigation

3:08 pm on 14 September 2020

The leader of the Vanuatu opposition, Ralph Regenvanu, has reiterated a call for police to be neutral in their investigations.

Opposition Leader, Ralph Reganvanu

Opposition Leader, Ralph Reganvanu Photo: RNZ Pacific / Hilaire Bule

Police are currently investigating an allegedly unlawful contract issued by the Minister of Public Utilities, Jay Ngwele.

Regenvanu asked the acting police commissioner to explain why his staff were reportedly working with private investigators who were close friends of Ngwele.

Regenvanu claimed the investigations were "biased".

He also queried aspects of the investigation into the alleged contract which concerned the tarsealing of a road in Paray area in the captial of Port Vila.

Regenvanu said Ngwele had claimed the contract value was only $US44,000 but the contractor was awarded the $US158,000 the Council of Ministers had allocated.