Law firm offers to assist fraud squad resurrect O’Neill case
27 December 2017
FRANCIS NII
KUNDIAWA – The principal of Jaminan Lawyers, Christopher Jaminan, has announced on Facebook that his firm will provide free legal aid to the Police Fraud Squad and the Criminal Investigation Division if they want to resurrect the fraud case allegedly involving prime minister Peter O’Neill.
Mr Jaminam’s offer follows the Supreme Court’s quashing of an arrest warrant against O’Neill in the case known throughout Papua New Guinea as Parakagate.
Mr Jaminam’s announcement drew immediate and overwhelming support across PNG although some Facebook readers, although welcoming the suggestion, were sceptical about its prospects of success.
These people claimed the judiciary has already been compromised and the effort would be futile as the case would drag on for years or be thrown out on petty technical grounds.
However most Facebook followers applauded Jaminan and said he should proceed to assist fraud squad head Matthew Damaru and his team obtain a fresh warrant of arrest against O’Neill.
Papua New Guineans have felt the pain of the financial and moral crisis created by the O’Neill government and say they are willing to contribute financially to support the law firm and the Police Fraud Squad.
Jaminan was urged to open a trust bank account and publicise the account number in the media.
I had an email chat with Christopher Jaminan last night and commended him for his good heart in wanting to fight this case as many people are seeking justice to prevail.
Jaminam said he had already spoken with Damaru and the dialogue would continue until the Fraud Squad’s position was clear.
“I have been in touch on the phone with Mr Damaru,” Jaminam said. “We will be having a few more meetings in the coming days to discuss options and a way forward with the matter.
“Hopefully at some point in the near future, the Fraud Squad’s position will be made clear and known to the public.”
Although we all want proper justice to prevail in the Parakagate matter and fully support Mr Jaminan, it is not the end result that concerns me at this stage.
What worries me is that the wheels of justice get into motion by Jaminan actually starting to work with Damaru. What happens after that is something for the future.
Past experience tells me that O’Neill and his henchman police commissioner Gary Baki and his ‘vetting committee’ will do everything under the sun to prevent Jaminan from providing legal aid to the Fraud Squad.
If the Jaminan-Damaru team gets over this initial hurdle, the rest should be history creating.
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