Resign, Kulunga told

 OPPOSITION leader Belden Namah has called on Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga to resign for “failing to carry out his constitutional duties” by investigating Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

He said this after Kulunga acknowledged that he had received Namah’s formal complaint lodged against O’Neill over a payment of K71 million to a law firm.

“I’m disappointed with his response. He did not say he has instructed the fraud squad to investigate,” Namah said.

He claimed Kulunga had failed to take responsibility for the conduct of investigations on his complaint against the prime minister. Kulunga said in his Nov 1 letter to Namah, the matter was under investigation by the Task Force Sweep and people had already been interviewed.

He said O’Neill was the acting police minister and it was in the best interest of all parties concerned that the matter be handled by the Task Force   Sweep team “to avoid any suggestion of bias”. 

Namah said Kulunga’s response was “unacceptable” because the police force was mandated by the constitution to undertake its functions without fear and favour.

“Your suggestion that the complaint is best left to the Task Force Sweep team for the reason that Peter O’Neill is the police minister is absolutely unacceptable and regrettable. It is tantamount to a wilful neglect of duty and miscount in office,” he said.

“The Task Force Sweep team is neither an arm of the police force nor an independent constitutional office.

“It is a creation of the National Executive Council, a body which is functional, not only at the direction of the NEC but breathes air at the discretion of the NEC, of which O’Neill is chairman.

“I must remind you that the cancer of corruption is choking this land we love and unless the police force, the only constitutionally mandated law enforcement arm, takes its responsibility seriously, our future and the future of our children is doomed.

“I therefore ask the commissioner of police to resign immediately for failing to take full the responsibility of the investigation of my complaint,” he said.

In his letter to the Opposition leader, Kulunga advised Namah of the proceedings.

“I have written to Opposition leader Belden Namah that the complaint is already being investigated by the Task Force Sweep Team. In fact the investigations are at an advanced stage,” he said.