Manumanu land deal

Letters

IS there any reasons why the Ombudsman Commission, (if it had undertaken its own investigations?) has not publicly released its findings over the high-profile fraudulent and corrupt Manumanu land acquisition scandal?
Isn’t this matter of public importance that comes under its microscopic lens for obvious breaches of the leadership code?
As we all know, the police investigations over the issue, through its former commissioner, were unilaterally closed, and that according to him, were due to insufficient evidences, although there were very clear and compelling evidences to the contrary that should have had police to continue with their investigations and ultimately arrested those officials involved.
The administrative inquiry, that was established, which seems to have been set up deliberately on purpose, by the then former prime minister, instead of a commission of inquiry, into the Manumanu land acquisition scandal, made very clear and comprehensive findings on the issue.
These findings could have clearly been used as a guide by the police to fully complete its own independent investigations.
But on what basis did the former police commissioner use to have formally closed the case without taking any actions, that is, laying criminal charges against those officials involved, is any one’s guess?
The people’s only hope in the Ombudsman Commission’s investigations now looks dimmer as there appears to be nothing in sight, some five years on, otherwise it would be failing in its fiduciary responsibilities to the people, if it had not undertaken any investigations for the alleged misconduct in office by those officials.
In this respect, can both the fresh men on the block, the police minister and the acting police commissioner, revisit the need to have the Manumanu land acquisition scandal be re-investigated by the Fraud and Anti-Corruption Squad?
It is reported that the police minister has vowed to deliver some “red hits” in the coming months, hence I would kindly request that the minister to keep up to his own words and request the acting police commissioner for the police investigations over the scandal to be reopened, of course, as one of his “red hits” agenda.
The people of this nation have the right to be informed about this obviously fraudulent and corrupt dealings by those, (to use former Task Force Sweep chairman’s description) “Mobocrats” from the Waigani swamps, on what the government will do about these daylight thieves, should the acting police commissioner allow for re-investigations to proceed.

Lorenitz Gaius
Ketskets village