Condemned SABL used for eviction application

In 2013, a Commission of Inquiry described an agricultural lease issued over 450 hectares of land outside Port Moresby as ‘improper and unlawful’. The lease over portion 2465C, said the Commission, was one of a pair issued in a scheme that involved ‘misrepresentation and fraud’ and a ‘blatant disregard for the law’. The Commission said those responsible for issuing the...

Solomon Islands Paradise Destroyed by Plunder

By its own government’s estimation natural forests in the Solomon Islands could be completely exhausted by 2036. [1] When it comes to the exploitation of forests and mineral resources, the Solomon Islands is PNG on steroids. It is a window into our future if we fail to stop rule by mobocracy. Plunder, environment destruction, and corruption, these are the familiar...

Can the PM Defend a Nation he Wants to Own?

...of Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals), and Darren James Young (Kumul Consolidated Holdings Managing Director). Is it the same Peter O’Neill? Is the “Peter O’Neill” who owns Paradise Breweries, Prime Minister “Peter O’Neill”? Well, the signature, address and date of birth on official IPA documentation for the Peter O’Neill of Paradise Breweries all match those of the Prime Minister. The signatures of...

Australia gets another F

...Australian national, Antoinette Amputch. Both Moore and Amputch are intimately involved in Insurance Partners (PNG) Limited. Insurance Partners has an interesting list of shareholders. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s accountant, Joseph Kup, was one of the company’s first shareholder. Peter O’Neill personally acquired a direct stake in the company after his firm LBJ Investment Ltd purchased 407,000 shares for an undisclosed...

Fact-Checking the Kramer Allegations

...to be his first cousin for absolutely no work done. Therefore, he is jointly and severally liable for misappropriation of that amount. This is an interesting detail indeed, which lends credibility to Kramer’s claim that Peter Yamuna is a relation of Peter O’Neill (i.e. Peter Yamuna shares close links to Wandi Yamuna, who appears to be O’Neill’s first cousin). The...

An Australian Mega-Scandal: The 10 Red Flags at Manus

...construction and security services for refugees on Manus Island, saying it would “cause damage to Australia’s international relations with Papua New Guinea” for the details of the offshore immigration regime to be made public’. Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton, observes: ‘I believe the disclosure of the requested material would, or could reasonably be expected to, cause damage to international...

From Central City to Konebada: Milking Two White Elephants

...proposed purpose-built township for Central Province, and the Konebada Petroleum Park, an industrial zone designed to harness spin-off benefits emerging from the country’s failed gas and oil boom. The alleged ringleaders are Australian national, Peter Franklyn Nicholls, and PNG national, Kila Ai. According to the special investigation reports, both men are deeply implicated in a series of illegal transactions that...

PNGi 2018 – A Quick Review

...is a theme which appeared time and time again in PNGi investigations in 2018. In-depth profiles of long-time leaders like Chris Haiveta, Fabian Pok, Michael Nali and Peter Yama each exposed how these high-profile politicians have time and again avoided liability despite being recommended for further investigation or prosecution in Commissions of Inquiry, other administrative processes or even by the...

Peter Yama dodges electoral bribery charge

...of Finance recommended Peter Yama be referred to the police for making ‘an unlawful claim’. There is no evidence on the public record the police ever followed up on either matter. This stands in stark contrast to events in 2013, when Peter Yama was convicted for threatening to kill police officers in a fracas outside the Madang court house (which,...

The ONeill-ADB Scandal Unredacted

...Development Bank anti-corruption investigation, which has been specially un-redacted by PNGi investigators for the wider public. This report produced by the Office of Anti-Corruption and Integrity discloses evidence that a company owned at the time by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Wild Cat Developments, won a massive tender (nearly K80 million), marked by forgery and fraud, all of which suggested the...

ONeill Bridge Deal Hits Audit Iceberg

...panels, the full story timeline blow by terrible blow. Now the cards are on the table, it remains to be seen whether anyone with a mandate to investigate Peter O’Neill will have the courage to follow this through. You can also read our three-part investigation into O’Neill’s business empire, published in 2017, where you can witness the many other state...

The K2.65 million question: Jimmy Maladina and Meck Luo

In 2015 Jimmy Maladina was staring down the barrel of 8 years in prison for his role in the National Provident Fund scandal. Enter Haozhong ‘Meck’ Luo. Court documents reveal Luo paid the State K2.65 million in restitution on Jimmy Maladina’s behalf, through the company Isles Builders and Contractors. When he is not playing guardian angel, Mr Luo heads China...

AGO: Australian Rorts K13 million from Defence Budget

...track record, and a senior civil servant. Set out below are key examples. Name Direct affiliate One degree of separation Biographical notes Belden Namah X Politician + Former Deputy PM Philip Eludeme X X CSTB Chair + Censured by CoI Jimmy Maladina X Businessman + Censured by CoI Theo Constantinou X Australian businessman Wandi Yamuna X Alleged cousin of Peter...

Fabian Pok: Leadership Tribunal Material

...was said to be beneficially owned by Peter O’Neill, and it was where Mr Pok’s wife was employed. Condemned by the Ombudsman Commission inquiry into the Kamula Doso forestry extension for an illegal directive that benefited the RH Group. Condemned by the National Court for abusing his Ministerial power, and for allegedly burning ballots in the 2007 elections. Condemned by...

Michael Nali Part 3: Climbing the Great Wall

This is the final instalment in a three-part profile of Michael Nali, the current Minister for Works and Implementation. Here we look at his unique private and public relationship with a Chinese state corporation implicated in a wide range of corruption and bribery scandals. Nali was first elected to parliament in 1992. He is now in his fourth term as...

Michael Nali Part 2: Friends, Allies and Business

This is the second of three reports profiling one of Papua New Guinea’s longest serving politicians and businessmen, Michael Nali. Nali is currently the Minister for Works and Implementation in the government of Peter O’Neill. In Part 1, PNGi highlighted the conflict of interest surrounding Michael Nali’s involvement in the controversial Paga Hill real estate development in Port Moresby. It...

Michael Nali Part 1: A Bad Penny Returns?

...Ministerial positions and was Deputy Prime Minister in 1997/98. He is the current Works and Implementation Minister in the government of Peter O’Neill. After defeat in the 2007 elections Nali spent 10-years concentrating on growing his business interests, while always staying close to those in political power. In our three-part profile we will look in detail at Michael Nali’s colourful...

Border Development Authority: Dont let the rats flee this sinking ship

Communication tower mystery poses serious questions

...only allegations. Yamuna has also been a business associate of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, and, as recently as 2017, Yamuna was reportedly serving as the PM’s deputy Chief of Staff. Our current mystery though, begins in 2006. In February of that year a State Lease was issued over 2.76 hectares of land in the Varirata National Park to the company...

The Yama Files Part V: The Tale of 10 Supreme Court Judges

The Yama Files Part IV: Finance CoI Slams Yama

The Yama Files Part III: When Clever Lawyering Backfires

The Yama Files Part II: The Midnight Contract

The Yama Files Part I: Sue the State and Sue Big!