Singirok skates

Politics

Singirok skates back into power

By Sam Vulum

PAPUA New Guinea’s controver sial former army chief Jerry Singirok, sacked for his part in the Sandline Crisis 19 months ago, has been re-instated by the government.

The move was described by prime min ister Bill Skate as a reward for his “com mendable and heroic action” in stopping the Sandline affair.

In the same move, the government also sacked its coalition partner Peoples’

Progress Party (PPP) and its leader Michael Nali as deputy prime minister - for alleged collaboration with former prime minister and party leader Sir Julius Chan in destabilising the government.

Singirok’s reappointment has occurred despite being heavily implicated in the final Sandline Commission of Inquiry.

The inquiry, headed by Judge Kubulan Loss, found that payments made by British military supplier J & S Franklin to Singirok, in the period between 1995 and 1997, amounted to bribes, financial inducements or secret commission.

The inquiry said: “Singirok during his time as the Commander of the PNGDF from November 16 1995 to March 17, 1997, had received a total sum of 31,000 pounds from J & S Franklin, a London based company. It was one of the major suppliers of military equipment to

Pngdf”.

During 1995, PNGDF had not pur chased any military equipment from J & S Franklin. Prior to 1995, substantial items were purchased from J & S Franklin or suppliers associated with that company.

Singirok and Sydney Franklin had met in 1987 in Port Moresby during a business visit by Franklin. Singirok was a major and a staff officer then. He made appointments for PNGDF officials to see Franklin.

The second time they met or contacted each other was in February 1996 in

Singapore. Singirok went there as a mem ber of the Defence Council to attend a mil itary exhibition. Singirok said they were already personal friends. It is doubtful that they could have maintained a personal relationship over that 10 year period with out contacting each other.

In early 1996, Commander Singirok issued an instruction that there would be no more supplies of military equipment from its major suppliers including J & S Franklin. This was due to financial diffi culties and also because a Defence White Paper was being prepared which specifi cally mentioned the acquisition of certain equipment to be consistent with the devel opment of the Defence force.

Shortly after renewing his acquaintance with Franklin in February 1996, a substan tial order for ammunition in excess of K 2 million to Unicorn International was approved by Singirok.

The Franklins were an agent of Unicorn, a Singaporean company con trolled by the Singapore government. No tenders were invited nor quotations taken from other suppliers.

A certificate of inexpediency was issued to purchase the equipment because the Commander had made a commitment by way of letter of intent to Unicom.

Singirok took a number of overseas trips in 1996. In April he went to London.

He was entertained by the Franklins who paid for his accommodation, transport and meals. Franklin assisted him with 1000 pounds to open an account with the Lloyds Bank in London. On July 5, 1996, J & S Franklin deposited 10,000 pounds into that account. In December 1996 and February 1997, Franklins paid into Singirok’s account in London two further sums of 10,000 pounds, these monies were spent on personal purposes, partly on the pur chase of property in the Port Moresby sub urb of Gordons. Singirok said that initially he discussed with Sydney Franklin lack of

finances for him to attend military exhibi tions.

This would mean that the Commander’s important overseas trips would be funded by an overseas company which is the sup plier or the agent of suppliers of military equipment to PNGDF, and not the PNG government.

As a Constitutional Office holder at the time, Singirok was subject to the Leadership Code. None of these payments were disclosed to the Ombudsman Commission in his 1996 returns. They were disclosed in 1997, but only after they had become public knowledge. At the inquiry, Singirok acknowledged that he was wrong to take the money.

Singirok denies these payments were bribes or financial inducements. None of the money was used for the purpose of offi cial travel. But according to the Commission, “from all that transpired between Singirok and the Franklins in 1996, and notwithstanding what Singirok might believe, the Commission finds these payments amount to bribes, financial inducements, or secret commissions”.

The Ombudsman Commission says it will investigate allegations of bribery and corrupt payments against Singirok.

Commission lawyer David Cannings

said that once the general was made Commander of the PNGDF, he was auto matically subjected to the Leadership code.

“We don’t have to wait for a complaint from anyone. We will do it on our own ini tiative,” he said.

Cannings said all leaders investigated under the Leadership Code are subjected to the same rules and procedures and it would be no different for General Singirok.

He said the Commission could investi gate and prosecute a leader in a position previously held or that he now holds.

Prime minister Skate, in announcing General Singirok’s return, said the reap pointment would automatically subject him to the provisions of the Leadership Code and the judicial system in relation to the K 70.000 payment by international arms dealer J S Franklin.

Skate said General Singirok has stated that he will fully cooperate with any inves tigation and was also prepared for the con sequences. The rules require that the Ombudsman Commission compile its own evidence as it is not allowed to use the same documentary and oral evidence adduced during the Sandline Commission

of Inquiry. Commenting on the PPP sack ing, Skate said he could no longer trust the party to be loyal. However, Nali accused Skate of running the affairs of the nation “in a generally irresponsible and whiskey and rock-and-roll manner”.

“I am sorry to say that Skate is the most inconsiderate, egotistic, irrational and erratic person I have ever met in my political life,” he said.

Meanwhile, police have begun a hunt to arrest the prominent government politi cian who is alleged to have been involved in the production of a pornographic video tape with a minor.

Port Moresby police chief John Wakon said police began the hunt for the leader after he slipped past detectives at Parliament House.

According to Wakon, the detectives had waited outside Parliament House to arrest him but he somehow slipped past them. It was also alleged that he used a different name and travelled to Port Moresby from Mt. Hagen. The leader is alleged to be using assumed names to book into hotels. But Wakon said police would continue to search for him until he is arrested.

Police said it would be preferable if he would voluntarily present himself to detectives at the Boroko Police Station for an interview. A woman allegedly involved in the production of the video tape has

been arrested and charged by police.

Regina Tina Pera Gibolo appeared before Waigani District Court for the fourth time in October. Her case was adjourned to November 4 on an applica tion from the prosecution. She has not entered a plea. ■

Jerry Singirok