- Director police investigations under fire
- Commissioner Mangau says no evidence
- Isabel government says evidence submitted 2 months ago
BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
The director of police’s criminal investigation division (NCID) has come under fire for alleged corruption.
The NCID director reportedly released a Malaysian logger under dubious circumstances. The logger was a suspect held for questioning over illegal tubi felling in Isabel.
Police commissioner Mostyn Mangau has come out to defend the NCID director’s actions. However, information Island Sun has gathered put the NCID director’s action and Commissioner Mangau’s comments under question.
Mr Mangau claims there is no evidence in this particular case to enable police to charge the Malaysian logger.
But, the Isabel provincial government and its lawyer say they had submitted evidence, sworn statements and other documents to the NCID two months ago.
Mangau went on to say that there had been an abuse of process which is why the NCID director released the Malaysian logger. NCID officers say otherwise.
Responding to questions raised during a press conference yesterday, Mangau said police investigations has an operating procedure, “any case reported to the police must be referred to the National Criminal Investigation Division (NCID) through the Deputy Director and then to the Director for viewing.
“Compared to this particular case against the Malaysian suspect, the file was referred from Buala police and then to the NCID officers, without notifying the Director about that case.
“Without the Director’s notice, officers then called the suspect for interview; it is an abuse of process, all investigation has to follow the process,” Mangau said.
He said with this case, investigation is yet to be completed; “there has to be evidence available before investigators call or arrest suspects for questioning.
“Therefore, due to those reasons the Director have to act on this case and release the Malaysian suspect.”
Mangau also denies any outside influence on this case, adding that police are currently investigating the case and once there is evidence they will call in the suspect for questioning.
“As I always emphasise, police force is independent,” Mangau said.
He said it is the duty of the Director in making sure that matters subject to investigation are done properly.
Mangau meanwhile chastised officers of the NCID, saying how they dealt with this particular case was wrong, adding that he has assigned his deputy commissioner to look into this issue.
Information gathered by this paper said the Malaysian suspect works for Mas Solo, a logging company that operated in Isabel province.
Due to Mas Solo’s illegal operation in the province, the Isabel provincial government reported the matter to the police and an investigation was carried out by Buala police.
Isabel’s Provincial Secretary John Lokumana confirmed to Island Sun yesterday that the province confiscated Mas Solo’s machines upon a court order.
He said they had submitted all their documents and evidence to their lawyer regarding that case and are still awaiting an outcome of investigations from police.
This paper also made a follow-up with the law firm representing the Isabel Provincial Government which confirmed that all evidence, sworn statements and other documents had been sent to the NCID some two months ago.
The law firm said it is still waiting for any outcome to the investigation from NCID.
