OC legal officer: Provide evidence with complaints

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

PEOPLE are urged not to abuse the office of the ombudsman commission for their personal gains.

Senior legal officer of the ombudsman commission Howard Maliso said people must provide evidence when lodging complaints.

He said the commission was not just another ordinary office where people just walked in with petty complaints just to spoil the reputation of leaders.

Maliso said this yesterday in Mt Hagen during a two-day workshop on new administrative guidelines and financial instructions conducted by the department of implementation and rural development for senior public servants in Southern Highlands.

“If you see that any leaders covered under the leadership code breaks a law or abuse his power, you must come in and provide us with factual information and evidence necessary to refer him to the public prosecutor,” he said.

He said on many occasions, people lodged complaints  without providing evidence and supporting information that would assist in their investigation.

Maliso said the commission ensured that department heads, elected leaders including councilors carry out their duties without abusing their powers.

He said the leaders covered under the leadership code were subjected to the scrutiny of the people and as such people had the right to report them if they misbehaved.

Maliso said they would not conduct witch-hunts based on false complaints.

He urged the senior public servants not to abuse their powers or misuse the public funds given under the district service improvement programme and province service improvement programme.

He told them to comply with the new administrative guidelines and financial instructions.