Speed up corruption prosecutions, association says

 By BEATRICE BONAKOYA

THE Community Health Workers Association has called on the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee and the Taskforce Sweep Team to fast track prosecutions of individuals charged with corruption.

General Secretary of the PNG Community Health Workers Association James Amuna said two ways to weed out high profile crimes were imprisonment and blacklisting from the public service.

He said many arrests had been instigated by Sam Koim and his Task Force Sweep team but very little had come out of it.

“No convictions have been effected so far, yet we see the Task Force Sweep team going to the media every time they make an arrest. However, they have not convicted anyone,” Amuna said in a statement.

He said the government had allocated a lot of money to get the Sweep team moving but with very little results to show for it.

“It is a waste of money. In fact, these inquiries must be stopped and the Sweep team itself investigated.”

The Public Prosecutor’s Office yesterday said 27 arrests instituted by the Sweep team were before the National Court.

An officer said among them were the matters involving Pomio MP Paul Tiensten and businessman Eremas Wartoto.

“Prosecution is a long process and all arrests made have to go before the Committal Court. If considered genuine, they are referred to a higher court.

“However, depending on the prosecution file, no guarantee can be given that the matter will succeed. It also depends on the presiding judge or magistrate,” the officer said.

Koim could not be reached for comments.