PM: Why should I listen to Kapris?

PRISON escapee and robber William Kapris would be dead if not for the good laws of PNG, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said yesterday, The National reports.

He was angry the media was giving a lot of prominence to what Kapris was claiming.

He said the criminal had accused three of his MPs without providing proof.

“Kapris goes to jail and he says what he likes and accuses three of my members of receiving money; he has not proven that they were party to this.”

“He is a murderer, a looter, everything, very dangerous, in other countries he would have been shot long time ago, particularly in developing countries, brown skin countries, they would have shot him. You are lucky, we made good laws, that’s why he is protected by law to go and say what he wants to say,” he said.

He brushed aside calls for him to act on the allegations Kapris raised against suspended treasurer Patrick Pruaitch, Correctional Services Minister Tony Aimo, and Deputy Speaker Francis Marus.

“Without any evidence, commentaries are being made by the media (in print and on radio) for government to act on the words of a convicted criminal.

“You all know very well that it is not my job to conduct investigations. If the police have video taped this interview and made it public, it is for the police commissioner to explain whether his men were under instruction to do so and for what purpose.

“To go straight to head of government to demand answers shows the people’s ignorance in the processes of government.”