Fraud squad cops get jobs back

PORT MORESBY – Two senior fraud squad members, recently sacked by the Commissioner of Police in Papua New Guinea, have their jobs back for now.

On Thursday, the National Court put a stay on the sackings of the Assistant Commissioner of Police Thomas Eluh and Chief Inspector Timothy Gitua.

The pair had been at the forefront of investigations against the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill which resulted in an arrest warrant being issued last year – the validity of which remains with the courts.

Last night the Commissioner of Police, Gari Baki, said he would seek legal advice to appeal the court’s decision.

Thomas Eluh says he’s not surprised. “Every action that he has taken since taking up office against us, me and my team, it’s quite obvious that he’s doing everything in his powers to destroy us and definitely indirectly destroy the investigations against the prime minister, there is no other reason.”

On the 21st of this month the National Court will decide whether the pair should be granted leave to seek judicial review of the commissioner’s decision.

Last week the police commissioner Baki said Eluh had been dismissed for insubordination relating to his behaviour under the previous commissioner and Gitua was sacked over a nightclub incident last year.