​PNG COMMISSIONER of Police and Controller of the National Pandemic Response Mr David Manning said a new Internal Affairs Directorate office will be built at Konedobu in the National Capital District.

The new INA office will be next to the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate building. Mr Manning said construction work on the new IAD office is scheduled to commence in late September this year.

Four suspects involved in a botched car-robbery at Baruni on July 7, in which a would-be car-jacker was gunned down and a woman from the Highlands murdered by knife wielding men, are now in police custody.

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Perou N'Dranou said " Police investigators worked relentlessly around the clock to defuse these ethnic tensions over the past few days and eventually rounded up the four main suspects involved in the attempted robbery and the women's murder.

​Barrick Gold Corp. says it will pursue all legal avenues to prevent what it's calling the "nationalization without due process" of its Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea.

Barrick, the operator, and Zijin Mining Group of China each own 47.5 per cent of the open pit and underground gold mine.

In a news release, Barrick says it applied for an extension of its special mining lease in June 2017 but the government refused to comply and it expired last August.

​FORMER Papua New Guinea Treasurer Don Polye told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Union Bank of Switzerland K3 billion loan yesterday that the Government deal in 2013 broke “every law in the constitution”.
“Every law in the constitution was breached to acquire the loan,” he said.
Polye is expected to give a full statement to the commission, with evidence, next month on everything he knew about the transaction.
The K3bil loan (AU$1.3billion) was acquired by the Government led by prime minister Peter O’Neill to buy 10 per cent shares in Oil Search in 2014.
Polye who was then treasurer allegedly refused to sign documents relating to the transaction.

​THE National Court has ruled that a leadership tribunal failed to afford natural justice to Vanimo Green River MP Belden Namah to give him the opportunity to be heard before recommending his dismissal from office.
The ruling yesterday by Justice David Cannings was in regards to a judicial review Namah had sought over the tribunal’s decision which recommended his suspension.
Namah was recommended to be dismissed from duties by the Higgins tribunal on April 9, 2018, after he was found guilty of misconduct in office when he stormed a court room to arrest former chief justice Sir Salamo Injia, who was presiding cases at the time.

The Controller of the National Pandemic Response and Police Commissioner David Manning has informed the public that the rumour circulating in the social media about new cases of COVID-19 in Port Moresby is false.

He also cautioned the public from spreading misinformation and fake news which is detrimental to public safety and is a criminal offence under the country's cybercrime laws.

To date Papua New Guinea has 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with the last case confirmed on 25 June. The 9th case has been repatriated to his home country, while the other two last cases which are still active are being monitored.

​CONVICTED criminals on death row will eventually be executed in compliance with the order of the court, according to the Papua New GUinea Attorney-General and Justice Minister Davis Steven.
“Those who have already (been sentenced to receive the death penalty) would be subject to the court order and court orders are to be complied with,” he said. “Executing the death penalty is not an option, it has to happen.”
Steven said the issue before the National Executive Council was the mode of execution.

Former Treasury Minister Don Pomb Polye and former Attorney-General Kerenga Kua appeared before the Royal Commission of Inquiry into IPIC and UBS Loan this morning before chairman Salamo Injia.

Additionally, former Prime Minister Peter O'Neill was represented by his lawyer Greg Shepherd.

However, Shepherd was told to excuse the hearing because it was not clearly stated by O'Neill on a letter addressed to the COI that the lawyer was going to represent him on his behalf.

Funds for the payment of Church health workers salaries is expected to be released this week,

According to Health Minister Jelta Wong K20 million for salaries will be paid out this week while funds for operational grants are expected to follow after.

Minister Wong says the funds have already been circulated with the other portion of funding to be cleared at the end of this month.

​An internal investigation which started yesterday is currently underway by the Correctional Services to ascertain allegations of abuse on remand detainee and accused murderer Bhosip Kaiwi.

Kaiwi was charged on the 30th of June 2020 with the wilful murder of his partner, the late Jenelyn Kennedy.

Correctional Service Commissioner Stephen Pokanis confirmed to have learnt of the allegation via social media and immediately directed for an investigation into the allegations.