- Dec 27, 2016
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Initially investigators believed 'Chief' was hacked to death by villagers in a drunken dispute with a friend but have since revealed they believe the murder could have been premeditated and that Kiniafa may have been lured to his death in some kind of conspiracy and that conspiracy may have been related to his role at handling and blocking of projects at PNG Ports. More specifically, it's suggested Kiniafo had previously blocked a big Chinese backed project.
This is wild, here's the very brief.
Fego Kiniafa, a rising star among Papua New Guinea technocrats, was back in his highlands hometown and drinking late into the night.
The boss of a powerful state-owned enterprise, the PNG Ports Corporation, Mr Kiniafa had just turned 43 years old.
He had also helped to secure one of the Australian government's biggest overseas investments, a $621 million upgrade of vital ports infrastructure.
Mr Kiniafa was at the helm of the massive project, and the gatekeeper to about $200 million in local contracts funded by Australian taxpayers.
But being a power player in PNG can be a dangerous business.
And Mr Kiniafa's role placed him between two big geopolitical forces — Australia and China.
It was PNG Independence Day, the day after his birthday, and the annual Goroka Show was in full swing.
But within hours of Mr Kiniafa's big night out in Goroka, his brilliant career would meet a macabre and sudden end at the blade of a machete.
Chief Inspector Simatab says police found phone messages showing attempts to cover up the killing by paying off possible witnesses, and the hiring of a car "purposely to move the body".
He says the murder investigation is examining any links to Mr Kiniafa's role at PNG Ports "because some of the text messages saw some dissatisfaction [about] Fego and could be related to his job".
"We are trying to connect him to persons both in country, and as well as people who have interests in PNG Ports abroad."
www.abc.net.au
www.abc.net.au
www.abc.net.au
This is wild, here's the very brief.
Fego Kiniafa, a rising star among Papua New Guinea technocrats, was back in his highlands hometown and drinking late into the night.
The boss of a powerful state-owned enterprise, the PNG Ports Corporation, Mr Kiniafa had just turned 43 years old.
He had also helped to secure one of the Australian government's biggest overseas investments, a $621 million upgrade of vital ports infrastructure.
Mr Kiniafa was at the helm of the massive project, and the gatekeeper to about $200 million in local contracts funded by Australian taxpayers.
But being a power player in PNG can be a dangerous business.
And Mr Kiniafa's role placed him between two big geopolitical forces — Australia and China.
It was PNG Independence Day, the day after his birthday, and the annual Goroka Show was in full swing.
But within hours of Mr Kiniafa's big night out in Goroka, his brilliant career would meet a macabre and sudden end at the blade of a machete.
Chief Inspector Simatab says police found phone messages showing attempts to cover up the killing by paying off possible witnesses, and the hiring of a car "purposely to move the body".
He says the murder investigation is examining any links to Mr Kiniafa's role at PNG Ports "because some of the text messages saw some dissatisfaction [about] Fego and could be related to his job".
"We are trying to connect him to persons both in country, and as well as people who have interests in PNG Ports abroad."
How a brutal murder in PNG's Highlands could have implications for Australia's chequebook diplomacy
Fego Kiniafa was a top PNG businessman who workers called "The Chief". Last year he was brutally murdered and now an investigation has uncovered secret business deals that raise serious questions about who Australia chooses to partner with under its foreign assistance programs.
'Very concerned': Corruption watchdog probe ordered on payments to PNG Ports linked to Gold Coast businessman
The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape says the country's corruption watchdog will investigate the state-owned PNG Ports Corporation in response to revelations by the ABC.
www.abc.net.au
Dead Man's Secrets | 01 - ABC listen
A shocking murder takes place in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea.
www.abc.net.au
