PNG NRL board member Wapu Sonk lashes out after ‘incorrect and defamatory’ allegations
The billionaire petrol baron described as the Nick Politis of PNG rugby league has declared his innocence after ‘incorrect and defamatory’ allegations forced a corruption investigation into his business dealings.
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Billionaire Papua New Guinea NRL board member Wapu Sonk has lashed out at what he described as “incorrect and defamatory allegations” that have sparked a corruption investigation into his business dealings and forced him to stand down from his position on the rugby league board.
Sonk issued a statement on Monday night, declaring a report by Nine newspapers alleging concerns he may have attempted to financially benefit from a deal between the country’s national oil and gas company and a Chinese government-controlled firm, were based on false information.
At the request of PNG Prime Minister James Marape, Sonk last Friday stood down from his role on the PNG NRL board following the report, which claimed there was evidence that included confidential documents and corporate records relating to his business dealings, not the NRL bid.
Sonk declared his innocence and claimed he stepped aside from the PNG rugby league board to protect the new franchise.
“Incorrect and defamatory allegations have been made against me in the Australian media,” Sonk said.
“These claims are based on false information and the matter is being investigated internally within KPHL and will be referred to the police for investigation.
“I will ensure all these baseless claims are properly addressed, and that those who falsified documents are properly dealt with through legal channels.
“I have instructed lawyers in Australia to study the Australian media statements and prepare the defamatory case and I intend to pursue.
“Our Prime Minister, the Honourable James Marape, MP, expects the highest standards of integrity and work ethics as a Trustee for KPHL on behalf of our people of Papua New Guinea.
“Myself, as a long-term oil and gas man and a public servant of Papua New Guinea, I uphold these high standards and will continue to do so in the future.”
Sonk is the managing director of the state-owned Kumul Petroleum Holdings. The $10 billion oil baron was a crucial member of the country’s NRL bid team and one of the PNG government’s seven nominees to be on the club’s inaugural board, to be chaired by Ray Dib.
The board is yet to meet but will do so for the first time without Sonk.
“I have stepped aside from the PNG NRL franchise board in order to ensure there is no hindrance in progressing our new NRL franchise team forward,” Sonk said.
In his statement, Sonk said that a letter at the centre of the alleged corruption concerns was “fake in its entirety” and contained a forged electronic signature and “does not bear the official KPHL letterhead containing the watermark and logo, which contains contact details, office address and other information”.
“Very importantly, the letter wasn’t under my name as the managing director. These individuals have vested interests who have generated this fabricated letter using information from within the company. The true facts have been twisted to discredit me and KPHL as a national oil company.
“They are people who are seeking to discredit the milestone achievement of fulfilling PNG’s long held dream of having an NRL team under this Government in partnership with the Australian Government. They also seek to discredit our work to build a strong National Oil and Energy Company for Papua New Guinea.
“I will ensure my name is cleared (and) will not allow these individuals to undermine the progressive work we are carrying out with international oil and gas companies in Papua New Guinea. We will continue steadfast with our goal to advance the development of Papua LNG, Pnyang LNG and other projects in sequence in order to further our developmental aspiration as a country.”
The Australian Government has committed $600 million over 10 years to help fund the PNG NRL team, as part of its soft diplomacy policy in the Pacific to ward off Chinese influence in the area.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys told this masthead on Friday that all federal government money would be strictly audited and funnel through the NRL.
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Originally published as PNG NRL board member Wapu Sonk lashes out after ‘incorrect and defamatory’ allegations
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