Ipatas tipped off about arrest, welcomes any police probe

By REBECCA KUKU
ENGA Governor Sir Peter Ipatas says he is ready to make himself available for questioning by police if a complaint had been lodged against him.
Sir Peter was responding to a reported attempt to arrest him by unknown police personnel at the Jackson International Airport on Sunday afternoon.
He said he was tipped off by some “government officials” that he would be arrested at the airport on his return from Australia.
“But I came anyway because I know I have done nothing wrong and have no criminal cases against me,” he said.
Sir Peter alleged that the attempted arrest was orchestrated by Kompiam Ambum MP Sir John Pundari.
“Sir John Pundari arranged with police to have me arrested on charges relating to an election-related tribal fight in his district during the 2022 General Election,” he said.
“Two of my candidates from the People’s Party who I endorsed to contest the Kompiam-Ambum seat were recently arrested on the same issue but were not charged as there was no evidence to support claims that we had burnt down his village.”
Sir Peter said his support for candidates under the People’s Party ended when the election ended.
“It’s no secret that I wanted to remove Sir John from his Kompiam-Ambum seat (and) endorsed a candidate to contest the seat against him,” he said.
In response, Kompiam-Ambum MP Sir John Pundari said he had nothing to do with the alleged Sunday incident.
He said leaders should not use the media to create “false impressions about themselves, and undermine the integrity of constitutional institutions like the police force”.
“The lies of today, will be revealed by the truth of tomorrow,” he said.
Sir John has lodged an official complaint with the Boroko Police Criminal Investigation Division (CID) on Sir Peter’s accusations.