The Police investigation file into the perjury charge against former Papua New Guinea Prime Minister and member for Ialibu Pangia Peter O’Neill has been completed by police.
O’Neill was arrested and charged on 13 June 2023, for lying under oath during the inquiry into the 2014 UBS loan and was brought to court, however, police have been working to complete the files and evidence needed to convince the Committal Court to commit Mr O’ Neill for trial.
Police have now completed their investigations into the perjury allegations against O’ Neill with Police prosecutor Sergeant Christian Iga yesterday submitting to the court a copy of the hand up brief and informed the court that O’ Neill’s files was completed and served to his lawyer on 04 October2023.
Philip Tabuchi from Young and Williams lawyers who is representing O’Neill in court confirmed receiving the hand up briefs, Tabuchi also tendered to court a draft directions suggesting for the submissions to be heard in November.
Her worship Laura Wawun Kuvi accepted the draft directions and ordered for the defense to file their submission on the sufficiency of evidence and serve to the prosecutions on 19 October 2023, the Prosecutions was also ordered to file and serve their reply to the defense team on 31 October 2023 and made the matter returnable on 03 November 2023 for hearing.
O’Neill was accused of giving false information under oath during the inquiry into the UBS K1.2 billion(US$432 million) acquitted in 2014 when O’ Neill was the Prime Minister.
Police alleged O’ Neill’ statements from 2011 to 2019 were false and misleading when presented before the commission and contradicted National Executive Counsel policy submission 67/2014 on financial arrangements for the state acquisition of shareholding in Oil Search Ltd and State Borrowing.
SOURCE: POST COURIER/PACNEWS
