A Commission of Inquiry should investigate Commissioner

Dear Editor,

Seriously, the P.M. is going to reinstate the suspended Commissioner? 

You’ve gotta be kidding. 

Having the charges withdrawn does not mean he is not guilty as charged. 

The Court ruling was very clear, and the P.M. knows this, after it was further explained to him that the ruling clearly indicates that the charges need to be addressed in a Commission of Inquiry.

The Attorney General Lemalu Herman Retzlaff (A.G.) had no problem advising the P.M. and Cabinet to conduct a Tribunal to legally remove Mauga from her Office. 

Why isn’t the A.G. giving the same advise to the P.M. and Cabinet in relation to the Commissioner? Why is the A.G. so determined to protect the Police Commissioner at the expense of Mauga and the National Prosecution Office? Why?

- Is it really true, as the A.G. said during the Tribunal, that they are not related?

- Is it because he is doing the Commissioner a favour after the Commissioner did him a favour, by charging Mauga when there was no evidence at all to pursue the charges, obviously (the case was dismissed)?

- Is it because he wants all the power to himself? He definitely had a problem with all the Constitutional powers that the D.P.P. had, so as soon he saw an opportunity to get it for himself, he lashed for it by pushing for a Tribunal?

- Was it because of a personal grudge? When Mauga’s car got hit by a bus, he lashed for that opportunity to get rid of her. Government resources and taxpayers money were used to get rid of Mauga.

- Is it because he has a plan to run for the election sometime in the future? 

- Does the P.M. and Cabinet know about all these things?

After sitting in the Tribunal for two days, I felt so disgusted about the idea that the A.G. had done everything in his power to drop the charges against the Commissioner.

As a result of his work, the Tribunal which comprised of his uncle, an independent member from overseas, who is most probably a former colleague from New Zealand, and a lawyer who is now going to be a Judge, Mauga was recommended to be removed from her office. 

But what about the Commissioner? 

He also is not a clean slate with everything that has been going on. To prove that, the government is being sued by the victim of the 18th August 2015 incident at the Fugalei Market, and not forgetting the devastating health impact on a bystander on that day.... there’s more coming.

The P.M. and Cabinet should seriously take into consideration that the Commissioner had done more damages than good. 

Look at the vote of no confidence signed by the majority of senior officers and the issues raised there? The answer is obvious; there should be a Commission of Inquiry into the conduct of the Commissioner.

Why is the Commissioner so determined to come back? Because of pride? Or for revenge like he threatened to do before, and to pay off his loyal steeds who stuck by his side by promising them promotion? 

The Police is divided and yet the P.M. and Cabinet are going to bring Egon L. Keil back without a Commission of Inquiry? This is unbelievable.

The P.M. and Cabinet cannot just sweep that vote of no confidence under the carpet and rely on their words to ensure that things will be alright again. 

Egon L. Keil needs to go. It’s time for the current qualified police officers to stop being afraid but stand up and execute your OATH and prove to the P.M. and Cabinet and the A.G. that you and you alone can do the job. 

 

A. Fa’amaoni

Tired of politics in Police and Justice

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