DailyPost Administrator posted on March 08, 2010 18:39
The whereabouts and wellbeing of prison escapee Paul Shem has been raised by the Coroner Mr Justice Nevin Dawson who raised the question of whether it is necessary to conduct proper inquiry into his suspected death.
“It is ominous that within two days of the recapture of the deceased all police efforts to find Paul Shem immediately ceased…
“If Shem is running free the police have a duty to locate and arrest him. If the police know that cannot be done for any reason the public is entitled is know that reason.”
Recommendation (2) in the report recommended that an independent inquiry be taken to ascertain:
• Who ordered Operation Klinap to stop before all escaped detainees were recaptured?
• Why was the Operation Klinap stopped before achieving its objective?
• Why has no effort been made by VMF or VPF to find Paul Shem since April 1 2009?
• What knowledge do the VMF or VMF have as to Paul Shem’s whereabouts and whether it is known if he is alive or dead and whether an inquest into his suspected death is necessary?
Evidence in the inquest established that Shem was never recaptured and within 48 hours of the recapture of the deceased no further efforts were or have been made to find him.
In other words Operation Klinap 2009 stopped without completing its task of recapturing all the escapees.
It also noted that given the VMF’s behavior while capturing and interrogating recaptured escaped detainees real concern must be held as to the well being of Paul Shem and whether he is alive.
Neither the VPF, nor the VMF are looking for him, or have there been any reports of any sightings of him.
“It is inconceivable that he can be hiding in Vanuatu without somebody knowing and having seen him,” said the Coroner in his 39-page report released last week.
The above was submitted at the conclusion of the inquest which said it was obvious that Operation Klinap the VMF breached the Constitution of Vanuatu (Article 5,the Police Act [CAP 105] in particular section 4(1) and (2), the United Nations Declaration of Rights and the rule of law.
In addition to individuals admitting in their own evidence to having broken the law it is clear that there are major systematic and group culture (not Kastom culture) problems within the VMF.
- Jane Joshua