Investigation after alleged rape of detained woman in PNG
A group of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel, with two Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) NH90 helicopters, arrived in Honiara on November 14. Military police personnel from Fiji and Papua New Guinea are also present to assist the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force in maintaining security.
Photo:
RNZ Pacific / Koroi Hawkins
Investigation is underway within Papua New Guinea police to determine how a former policeman who served time for rape was allowed to rejoin the police force, only to then allegedly commit another rape at a police station.
The officer was convicted in 2012 and served 14 years.
From initial indications, he may not have been formally dismissed from the force when he was convicted.
He and two other officers are now in custody for the alleged rape of a woman who was detained.
This incident has raised significant concerns about the the constabulary's recruitment and vetting processes, especially given previous calls for greater accountability and professionalism within the force.
Police Commissioner David Manning has indicated that the focus is now on ensuring the individual is returned to prison.
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The third report has stated New Zealand's "lucrative market" and established crime networks have made the country "more susceptible than ever" to corruption and insider threats. It also pointed to the "deteriorating situation in the Pacific" as making the region more vulnerable. It defined corruption as the "abuse of access or authority to advance the objectices of organised crime". "It is a critical enabler of organised crime, particularly at national borders. It grants criminal networks access to protection, sensitive information, and operational impunity. "This is a real and increasing threat," the report said. The group was told by enforcement agencies about "trusted insiders" at ports and airports helping to retrieve concealed shipments of illicit drugs before customs inspections. "That information is consistent with an unpublished global report which estimates that 70 percent of maritime seizures worldwide involved links to trusted insiders." It raised a specific concern in the Pacific where exposure is increased due to expansive maritime borders, strategic trade corridors and growing cross-border flows of goods and people. "When individuals in border security, customs, or immigration are compromised, criminal groups can exploit these weak points to smuggle drugs, weapons, other illicit goods, and people with minimal detection. "Bribery, coercion, and cronyism can transform ports, airports, and checkpoints into open channels." If corruption was left unchecked, the report warned it could erode the integrity of New Zealand's institutions and undermine its collective security. "We are already seeing increasing pressure on Pacific nations which have limited capacity to detect, investigate and prosecute organised crime threats. "The financial incentives offered by organised crime groups can be tempting - especially for those working in jobs with useful access, but low pay, in New Zealand and within the Pacific." 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Costello said the report was not suggesting organisations were corrupt, but the ability for organised crime to target individuals was there. "That's where we see that familial or cultural pressures, that ability to have control over individuals, and that's not just in the drug world." She said New Zealand was not out of control, but the country needed to shift the way it was doing things, strengthen legislation and put clear strategies in place. Costello believed bringing the Crimes Act up to date to deal with corruption was one of the key recommendations. She said work being done at the moment was bringing agencies together to have consistency around sharing information. Another recommendation was to have a centralised agency that would have oversight across all agencies. "Whether that's in the public service commission, or whether it's in police or SFO [Serious Fraud Office] or a new agency, it's having that one oversight so that we work more cooperatively." In regards to the Pacific, she said it was important New Zealand supported its economic growth and viability. "When people are poor, then the amount of money you need to corrupt someone is relatively low. "Leaning in more to support those economies to help them not just gain knowledge, but actually keep these systems in place. "How do they optimise their control of their border so they're collecting excise, that they're optimising the revenue they can get from legitimate business, as well as ensuring that they aren't corrupted." She said the reports were about making New Zealanders more aware about organised crime and an appreciation of the challenges that it presents.
