Give more teeth to Sweep team, urges group

 AN organisation in Jiwaka has called on the Government to give more power to the Task Force Sweep team and tighten anti-corruption laws.

Pasin Community Development Association chairman Ratu Mara said this after seeing many changes taking place since the Task Force Sweep team was set up.

Mara thanked Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for setting up the team.

He said K175 million had been recovered by the team and 52 arrests made within two years.

He said the team’s chairman, Sam Koim, was doing a great job and needed Government support. 

He said the powers of Task Force Sweep only went as far as arresting a person and the Government must extend its power to prosecute people.

Mara said a similar body in Indonesia known as the Corruption Eradication Commission had convicted diplomats, millionaires, judges, government ministers, department heads and members of the disciplined forces.

“It is, however, a different case here where people implicated in high profile cases involving millions of kina were still roaming around freely,” he said.

“This is something that the Government needed to look at seriously.”