Public Prosecutor dismisses rumours of probe into O’Neill
PUBLIC Prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin yesterday refuted suggestions that he has requested the Chief Justice to set up a Leadership Tribunal to try Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on allegations of high-level corruption.
He said that yesterday after rumours that O’Neill would be referred to the Leadership Tribunal on Friday.
Kaluwin, who is in Manus on duty travel, said he would make his decision known in good time.
“I believe there is only one Public Prosecutor,” he said.
“Your sources are wrong. I will come to the media and public when I make a decision.”
A spokesman for the prime minister said the rumours were not true.
The Ombudsman Commission last month referred O’Neill to the Public Prosecutor over the K3 billion UBS loan and two other matters. The three allegations relate to:
Claims that the National Government did not follow administrative and financial processes in acquiring the UBS loan to purchase shares in Oil Search Ltd;
the sacking of Don Polye as Treasurer; and,
Making a statement on EMTV relating to the lack of official consultation on the matter.
O’Neill last month expressed disappointment in the manner in which the Ombudsman Commission had referred him to the Public Prosecutor over the K3 billion UBS loan and two other allegations.
The claims follow the decision by the National Government to raise a UBS bank loan that enabled Papua New Guinea to buy back shares in Oil Search. O’Neill said then he was unperturbed by the claims and would continue to focus on managing the national economy and advancing the nation.
“In politics there will always be spoilers who seek to cause trouble for the democratically-elected government, but we will not let this distract us from our economic development agenda,” he said.
“My only concern is that investors are not put off by ongoing political attacks.”
He said that yesterday after rumours that O’Neill would be referred to the Leadership Tribunal on Friday.
Kaluwin, who is in Manus on duty travel, said he would make his decision known in good time.
“I believe there is only one Public Prosecutor,” he said.
“Your sources are wrong. I will come to the media and public when I make a decision.”
A spokesman for the prime minister said the rumours were not true.
The Ombudsman Commission last month referred O’Neill to the Public Prosecutor over the K3 billion UBS loan and two other matters. The three allegations relate to:
Claims that the National Government did not follow administrative and financial processes in acquiring the UBS loan to purchase shares in Oil Search Ltd;
the sacking of Don Polye as Treasurer; and,
Making a statement on EMTV relating to the lack of official consultation on the matter.
O’Neill last month expressed disappointment in the manner in which the Ombudsman Commission had referred him to the Public Prosecutor over the K3 billion UBS loan and two other allegations.
The claims follow the decision by the National Government to raise a UBS bank loan that enabled Papua New Guinea to buy back shares in Oil Search. O’Neill said then he was unperturbed by the claims and would continue to focus on managing the national economy and advancing the nation.
“In politics there will always be spoilers who seek to cause trouble for the democratically-elected government, but we will not let this distract us from our economic development agenda,” he said.
“My only concern is that investors are not put off by ongoing political attacks.”
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