Waigani court suspends probe against East Sepik

By JACOB POK
A COURT has ordered the suspension of all investigations into allegations of corruption against members of the East Sepik provincial assembly.
The National Court in Waigani granted a restraining order sought by the East Sepik provincial council executives.
The court order stops any investigation by the police, defence force and members of the government-sanctioned Task Force Sweep.
The order temporarily restrained Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga and Defence Commander Brig-Gen Francis Agwi from instructing their men to investigate some of the officers of the East Sepik provincial executive, who have been implicated on allegations of misconduct.
Justice George Manuhu granted the order. The case was filed as an urgent application by Waisi Lawyers repre­sen­ting the East Sepik provincial execu­­-
tive.
The order was sought on the grounds that the investigations against members of the East Sepik provincial executive could interfere with the pending Supreme Court reference looking into the issue of the legitimacy of government, to which the East Sepik provincial government is a party.
The court ordered that until a further order, “the defendants and their servants and agents and whosoever they may be including all members of police and Defence Force are temporarily restrained from investigating, interfering, hindering, preventing, threatening or intimidating the plaintiff and its servants from performing their duties and responsibilities in the province”.
The matter will return to court next Wednesday.