Former PNG PM arrested upon his return home

Port Moresby: Papua New Guinea’s former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has been arrested after arriving back in the country.

Police say Mr O’Neill was arrested on suspicion of misappropriation, abuse of office and official corruption, regarding the purchase of two generators from Israel.

The Police Assistant Commissioner of Crimes, Hodges Ette, confirmed the MP was brought in for questioning this afternoon in Port Moresby after flying in from Australia where he has been for much of the year. While anti-fraud police investigators have sought him for questioning for months, Mr O’Neill was reportedly unable to return to PNG since March when border closures were implemented as part of the country’s COVID-19 state of emergency.

The allegations against the IalibuPangia MP relate to a purchase he made as Prime Minister in 2013 to purchase two 15-megawatt generators for PNG from an Israeli company, LR Group.

PNG’s parliamentary opposition filed a police complaint about the purchase in 2014.

Police allege that Mr O’Neill directed payments for the purchase of the two generators from Israel without due consideration for procurement processes as required under Public Finance Management Act.