Tribunal clears Basil

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Bulolo MP Sam Basil has been cleared by a Leadership Tribunal of the five allegations of misconduct in office against him.
And he cautioned heads of government departments to make sure allegations raised against MPs leading to their referral to a tribunal should be thoroughly checked.
“We want every case referred to be on merit and on good grounds before referral,” he said.
Basil said most of the charges against him had been “fabricated”.
He plans to make a statement in Parliament on his experience and also to “question the Ombudsman Commission and its operations”.
The tribunal chaired by Justice Allen Kingsley David and assisted by senior magistrates Mark Selef Kariu and Josephine Kilage dismissed all the five allegations raised against Basil.
The tribunal ruled that the evidence submitted by Public Prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin had no merits and failed to meet the relevant standard of proof to sustain all of the five allegations.
Basil resumes duties as the Bulolo MP, member of the Morobe provincial assembly, deputy prime minister and commerce and industry minister following the decision.