Sikani ordered to explain ‘threats’

ACTING Prime Minister Sam Abal wants Correctional Services Commissioner Richard Sikani to explain the threatening letters he sent to an ombudsman commissioner.
During question time in parliament, Abal said he had summoned Correctional Service Minister Tony Aimo and Sikani to respond to the concerns raised by Ombudsman John Nero.
He was responding to a call by Morobe Governor Luther Wenge for a royal commission of inquiry into the Ombudsman Commission.
Outside parliament, Abal said: “I cannot allow senior civil servants to threaten the ombudsman.
“It is a constitutional office and it is sacrosanct. I will not tolerate threats to it.
“I will be pushing to decommission Sikani.”
Abal told parliament that he had issued instructions to Aimo and Sikani to report to him yesterday.
The two are believed to be on a tour in Bougainville and are expected to cut short their trip to return and see Abal.
Wenge had said the Ombudsman Commission was an important institution and that some actions taken recently “have been questionable”.
For example, Wenge said the Ombudsman Commission took 15 years to prosecute Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.
“Some leaders are not prosecuted while the Ombudsman Commission is picking and choosing which leaders to be prosecuted,” he said.
Wenge said another interesting case was the Julian Moti affair when the Australian Federal Police, in collaboration with PNG police, breached international laws to arrest a man in transit.
“There is a clear conspiracy between the Australian and PNG police to breach international law.”
He said when the Ombudsman Commission reported to parliament, it overlooked that breach of law.
In response, Abal said he would meet with the ombudsman to relay some of the concerns.