Magistrate cleared

By JACOB POK

 

A SENIOR district court magistrate, who was charged and convicted for judicial corruption seven years ago, had his conviction quashed by the Waigani Supreme Court recently, The National reports.

Rakatani Mataio, from Porebada village, Central, was sentenced to six years in jail on Aug 6, 2004, by the Waigani National Court after the court found him guilty of receiving bribes from a complainant while serving as a magistrate.

According to court documents, Mataio was alleged to have received monies from the complainant on numerous occasions when presiding over the complainant’s case.

Mataio, while serving his sentence, appealed to the Supreme Court to review the decision of the National Court.

The Supreme Court on Sept 3, 2010, ruled in favour of Mataio and quashed the National Court decision that had him convicted.

Mataio, who is married with six children, served as a magistrate for 26 years in the Magisterial Services before he was convicted in 2004.

During Mataio’s Supreme Court appeal, the Magisterial Services dismissed his employment.

Meanwhile, after his recent court victory, Mataio told The National that his dismissal from work by the Magisterial Services was not proper as because it was effected when the matter was still pending in court.

He said the Magisterial Services took the National Court decision as final and dismissed him from work, which he said was not proper according to the public service laws.

Mataio said he had enquired with the Magisterial Services for his reinstatement on numerous occasions but had received no response.

He raised concern that the highest court of the land had cleared his charges and found him not guilty and therefore, was seeking reinstatement.

“The truth has prevailed and the Magisterial Services must show justice to me as I have suffered enough,” Mataio said, adding that one of the pillars of law was that “Justice must not be done, but must be seen to be done.”

He said he had loyally served the Magisterial Services as a magistrate for more than 20 years.

“The Magisterial Services must at least consider the fact that the allegations against me was cleared by the highest court and must reinstatement me as I have suffered for too long with my family,” Mataio said. 

He said he was assisted financially by friends and Kariku Hiri MP Paru Aihi during his trial.

Attempts to get comments from the Magisterial Services yesterday were unsuccessful.

 

 

Biep: WP cholera funds not misused

By ELIZABETH MIAE

 

THE cholera outbreak in Western has been brought under control, coordinator of the provincial cholera response committee Dr Sibak Biep said yesterday, The National reports.

He said despite people presenting cholera like symptoms at the treatment centre and oral re-hydration points, no more deaths have been reported since last Nov 26.

He told The National that the committee had formed rapid response teams that have been going into areas affected every two weeks to carryout awareness and provide medical assistance to those infected.

Biep also said that the committee had not misused any funding that was given by the provincial government.

He was responding to media reports last week quoting Western Governor Dr Bob Danaya stating that K1 million was misused by the committee.

He said the committee was shocked to read about it in the two dailies and were confused as to where that information came from.

Biep added that K650, 000 was given by the provincial government last Dec 10 in response to the outbreak and K350, 000 was given by South Fly MP Sali Subam.

He said that the K650, 000 had been used to combat the outbreak of the disease in the province and the effect of what they were doing was already evident.

“We have a transparent and accountable committee in place and we will be providing a financial report (on the usage of the K650, 000) to the provincial executive council meeting on Jan 10.

“As the coordinator, I state that there is no misuse of funding,” he said.

 

 

Cut the hocus-pocus Abal: Namah

The Opposition has described as highly contradictory and confusing the announcement by acting Prime Minister Sam Abal on Monday that sidelined Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare was on holiday and would resume anytime.

Leader of PNG Party Belden Namah said Abal’s announcement directly contradicted Sir Michael’s statement last December that he was “stepping aside” after the Public Prosecutor had asked the Chief Justice to appoint a Leadership Tribunal to hear his alleged misconduct charges.

“The nation is fed up Mr Abal’s hocus-pocus,” he said.

“It is yet another deliberate and desperate attempt by the acting Prime Minister to defend the Sir Michael with meaningless words to deceive the public.

“No one, not even elementary school kids and the illiterate will be fooled.

“The nation is well and truly aware of the many stupid decisions of the sidelined PM and the controversies he is alleged to be involved in.

 “Everyone knows that Sir Michael will face a Leadership Tribunal on alleged misconduct charges.

“He told the nation he was stepping aside.

“The Opposition and many Government Ministers and backbencher know very well that when Sir Michael stood aside, he walked off his job and a vacuum was created in the office of the Prime Minister.

“The position of Prime Minister is currently vacant.

“It is incumbent on elected representatives of the people to elect a new PM during this month’s Parliament session, which begins next Tuesday.

 “Apart from electing a new Governor General, a new PM must be elected.” Namah stressed.

The former forest minister also called for a mass exodus of all concerned Ministers and Government backbenchers to join the Opposition to elect a new Prime Minister.

“The Opposition has solid 22 members and we invite the various conflicting factions and groups in the Government to combine with the Opposition to elect a new PM,” Namah said.

“It is in PNG’s national interest that a new PM is elected.

“The disgraced PM must not be allowed to continue in office, especially when he is heavily implicated in a number of high profile scandals.

“There are many well educated, intelligent and mature leaders who are capable of bringing PNG to greater heights.”

 

Lae caught in gunfight

By PISAI GUMAR

 

A TWO-hour gun battle, allegedly between settlers from Mt Hagen in Western Highlands and the Lufa people from Goroka residing at Four Mile in Lae yesterday morning, marred what has been a peaceful festive season in the Morobean capital, The National reports.

Lae metropolitan commander Supt Nema Mondiai could not confirm the seriousness and the cause of the battle, including deaths, as he was awaiting a situation report from the police task force sent to contain the situation.

Reports said the incident had stemmed from an ongoing ethnic clash, which led to some deaths on both sides and the burning down of houses, last year.

Mondiai said it had become obvious that in today’s city ethnic conflicts, rival parties had resorted to the use of unlicensed firearms.

“People in communities are not reporting the suspects to police,” he said.

“To ensure justice, peace and harmony prevail within our families, neighbours and the community, let us all be responsible and work with agents of law and report people who possess unlicensed firearms to police.”

Meanwhile, armed hold-ups and sexual offences against women were rated the highest among other crimes in Lae last year.

This was followed by breaking and entering commercial buildings and shops, including planned robberies.

Mondiai noted that most robberies were inside jobs involving staff. Based on crime scene investigations, most of the robberies happened outside banks.

He called on companies to use police for security purposes when delivering daily or weekend takings for banking.

Lae ended last year with one reported wilful murder, two suspicious deaths, two armed hold-ups and two rape cases at various city locations.

Mondiai said a 45-year-old man from Gumine in Chimbu was murdered and dumped at the Markham Bridge.

A man was also shot and another wounded after police intervened and saved a man who was held at gunpoint at Three Mile.

Police said two girls were also raped at Five Mile and one of thesecondary schools in the city.

 

 

Volcanologists issue warning to villagers

By ELIZABETH VUVU

 

THE Rabaul Volcano Observatory has confirmed the level three alert for the Manam Island volcano in Madang, The National reports.

Volcano experts yesterday said despite a decline in eruptive activity, people on the island had been advised to stay away from the four main radial valleys.

They said people should refrain from working on the upper slopes of the volcano because they might be affected by falling lava fragments and scoria from strong explosions.

“The depositions of new loose eruptive material on the upper slopes of the volcano, and the rainy season, have the potential to trigger mudflows,” the observatory said.

It said people must take precaution by staying away from places where mudflows occurred in the past, and other potential water flowing catchments areas where mudflows could easily form.

Officials said a stage three alert allowed for voluntarily evacuation from the island.

However, due to ongoing eruptive activity and the sporadic phases of strong activity and the possibility of more catastrophic events as observed in 2004-05, experts recommended that the national and provincial disaster committees consider evacuating people from critical locations on the island at an appropriate and convenient time.

Last Saturday, mild eruptive activity picked up again at the southern crater after a short lull following strong activity last Thursday. These included weak to moderate volumes of dark grey ash clouds rising about 200-300m above the summit crater.

RVO said no audible noises were heard and, at night, very bright continuous red was visible.

The main crater released weal to moderate volumes of grey ash clouds and low booming noises were heard for a brief period.

Power problems prevented data transmission to RVO since 6pm last Thursday due to a faulty fuse and battery.

 

 

 

Acting Prime Minister clears air on top job

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare can resume work at any time, acting Prime Minister Sam Abal said yesterday, The National reports.

He said what mattered was that the programme of government must and would continue.

Abal said in order to realise Vision 2050, the government’s plans and strategies, like the medium-term development plan 2010-15, must be implemented in line with the government’s 2011 budget.

The acting prime minister said at his Morauta Haus office that the implementation process would start with the recalling of all departmental heads and government ministers for a briefing on Friday and Saturday.

A meeting with all governors was also scheduled for next Monday. Parliament will resume next Tuesday to vote in a new governor-general.

Abal said the prime minister was on leave after stepping aside when he was referred to a leadership tribunal.

“We must understand that stepping aside and resigning are two different things.

“We must understand that the prime minister is on leave and can come back and take up his substantive post when he feels like it.

“He can start at anytime,” Abal said.

He also brushed aside claims that the National Alliance highlands branch was shaky after his elevation to deputy prime minister and acting prime minister while demoting fellow Engan and Kandep MP Don Polye.

The deputy prime minister said all coalition partners were intact.

 

 

 

 

Four killed, two knifed in Western Highlands

By JAMES APA GUMUNO

 

FOUR people were killed and two men were stabbed between Christmas and New Year in the Western Highlands, The National reports.

Two women were killed after having domestic arguments with two other women over their husbands at Kindeng and Kaiwe in the South-Waghi and Hagen districts respectively.

One man was killed at Bunowau, North Waghi, after an argument with another group over a piece of land while a young man from Lenki village in the Wabag, Enga, who worked as a waiter at the Highlander Hotel in Mt Hagen city was killed by some drunken youths at Mt Hagen Tee School.

Provincial police commander Supt Kaiglo Ambane said yesterday that two women who killed the other women over their husbands surrendered to the police and were now in police custody.

Ambane said police are still investigating the two other murders that occurred at Tee School and at Bunowau.

He said that one man from Moge tribe living at the back of Holy Trinity Teachers college was stabbed with a knife in a drunken brawl while another drunken man was stabbed at Kaiwe market after he smashed a windscreen of a 15-seater bus owned by Togoba people living outside the city with a beer bottle.

He said the two stabbed men were now in stable condition and recovering at the Mt Hagen General Hospital.

Ambane said that two deaths were caused as a result of domestic argument, one through land dispute and another committed by youths under the influence of alcohol.

He said that so far the province was quiet during the New Year and Christmas periods.

He said that police carried out foot patrol in the city and the city was quiet.

Ambane said that police detained about 15 men for drinking in public and put them behind bars. They released the men later when they became sober.

He said that there was not much celebrations on the road and commended the people for their cooperation to make the New Year trouble-free.

He added that majority of the people celebrated the New Year peacefully in their homes or residential areas.