Do not abuse power: Kalaut

FORMER assistant police commissioner Sylvester Kalaut has urged the police commissioner and officers to be responsible and fair when carrying out their duties.
Kalaut was responding to the National Court ruling which cleared him of charges which had been handing over his head since 2019.
“You have the powers to arrest the citizen but that power must not be abused – in the interest of the public, the law the police code of ethic,” he said.
Acting Judge Gertrude Tamade said Kalaut’s suspension from the constabulary on March 5, 2021, pending the hearing of his criminal offence was reasonable.
But his sacking as per Police Commissioner David Manning’s letter (dated Dec 23, 2021) was unreasonable.
Kalaut was suspended four times between Dec 27, 2019, and March 5.
The court ordered that he be reinstated after he challenged the suspension.
Acting Judge Tamade also ruled that he, on his civil proceeding, be reinstated because his termination was unreasonable.
“The court has clearly showed that there is no case for me to answer because it was all to spoil my reputation,” Kalaut said.
“Just because you are police officers, you cannot arrest people unnecessarily and hide behind the law.
“We cannot infringe on the rights of the citizen and arrest them without lawful reason.”
Kalaut said he planned to sue the State for the way he was treated.
Acting Judge Tamade said evidence of the committee’s recommendation on Kalaut was not attached with the Manning letter.
Therefore, the court did not know who were in the committee.
“It is my opinion that constitutional office holders and people who serve the high levels of State or Public Service sit on positions of power vested by the PNG constitution,” she said.