On the website of the Special Parliamentary Committee Against Gender-Based Violence is a public submission by the mother of a GBV victim. In the submission, she states that it will never be safe for her daughter to come home to PNG.
Peter Yama: The man whom Satan fears
She says that her daughter cannot return from her hiding place overseas, because her daughter fears the violent wrath of the influential Yama family (the alleged perpetrators and her in-laws) whom the mother’s failed to name in the submission for that same reason – fear
Under the circumstances, her fear is not surprising. It was told to me that Peter Yama, Governor of Madang, is widely known as ‘The man whom Satan fears.’
If you then go to the ‘Members’ page of the Special Parliamentary Committee, there, in last spot, is Peter Yama himself – championing the cause. Oh, please! Is this mockery?
The Alleged Crime
Last year, in the wake of ‘Jenelyn’s’ murder, another abused woman posted a long and detailed first-person account (on Facebook) of her own abuse at the hands of the son of a very prominent PNGean, whom she said had aided and facilitated his son in the abuse that included keeping her a virtual prisoner in the family compound (along with the savage and regular beatings).
This testimony she wrote from her, now safe, hiding place overseas. She said that she believed that if some “angels” hadn’t risked their own lives to rescue her from her abusive situation, she would also now be dead – like Jenelyn.
…the family was named as that of the Governor of Madang
She didn’t name her abusers, but the characters were thinly disguised, and it wasn’t hard to guess their identities. We weren’t kept guessing for long.
Soon afterwards, the family was named (publicly, on Facebook) as that of the Governor of Madang – Peter Yama – his son, Israel, the main perpetrator – and they were right. How do I know? I knew of this case while the rescue was being planned and taking place. I was in direct contact with two of the “angels” of which the victim speaks.
On seeing the members of this Parliamentary Coalition, one of the aforementioned ‘angels’ wrote to me asking whether this was some sort of “sick joke” being played on victims and those who helped them? I wonder that too. Is it?
So, who is Peter Yama? What’s his story?
Peter Yama, Governor of Madang
“Controversial” is the adjective often applied to Peter Yama, and the controversies surrounding him have been many – a staggering number – as such, they are far too numerous to mention them all in detail – but PNGi Central published a five-part series, back in 2018, that is comprehensive, although, not exhaustive. For more detail, I suggest you read their articles.
One is an anomaly, two is suspicious but three is a definite trend
Their sources are respected and ominously, PNGI Central exposes a worrying aspect of unstable initial court decisions (in Yama’s favour that could have netted him many of millions of Kina) that have been overturned on appeal.
In the journalistic world, we regard one questionable incident as an anomaly, two becomes suspicious but by three, it is definitely a trend. I’ll leave you to read between the lines of what sort of trend these court cases imply. (Sourced from PNGi Central).
- When Yama sued the state for breach of the NCDC contract, demanding payment in full, Justice Kubulan Los sided with Yama.
Los J’s decision was described by the Supreme Court as “rushed” and “pre-maturely determined,” and based in “fundamental misconceptions and errors of procedure and law.” - In 2016 the NCDC claim wound up in court. Justice Bernard Sakora claimed the PFMA did not apply; accepted as proof of damages Yama’s affidavit; and awarded K22 million to Yama, which included K5 million in costs.The Supreme Court slammed the decision, arguing as per their previous decision – the PFMA did apply. The contractual clause demanding full payout of the contract to Yama Security Services in the event of breach, was deemed illegal by the court, owing to its penal nature. It was concluded Mr Yama had failed to evidence any damage as a result of the breach, his payment went from K22 million to K1.
- In 2000, Yama won default judgement in his bid to claim K10.5 million in damages from Telikom Limited. The Supreme Court alleged that the original application for default judgment filed by Yama’s lawyers was ‘incompetent’ and should have been struck out. The trial judge was also accused of having overlooked an arbitrary and unfair deadline set for the defence by Yama’s lawyers. When the Telikom claim went to trial, it ended up again in the Supreme Court on appeal. The Supreme Court rejected Yama’s claim, and accused the Yama team of having employed forgery to secure an unlawful claim against the state.
But the case that clearly demonstrates the extent of Yama’s audacity and influence, politically and legally, is the ‘BSP’ case.
BSP Case.
“In December 2009, Yama was awarded PGK7.6 million in a case against Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited for breach of contract. However, Bank of South Pacific (BSP) attempted to secure this money, claiming that Yama had outstanding debts. Yama denied that he had any existing debts with BSP and brought charges of fraud against the bank. Two Australian executives at BSP were subsequently arrested as a consequence of this action.[8]
The executives, Robin Fleming and John Maddison, were subsequently released on bail. Australian law firm Gadens Lawyers, which represented BSP in the court action against Yama, were forced to withdraw their involvement in the case following physical threats to their legal team by armed groups in Port Moresby.[9]” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Yama )
Mr Yama denies ever intimidating witnesses – well he would, wouldn’t he?
inspired by the testimony of Mandy Rice-Davies
But the situation was even worse than it seems: According to WA Today: No judge was willing to preside over the civil case due to Mr Yama’s Influence. Even the judiciary had gone to water.
Yama had effectively thwarted the wheels of justice and not only proved that he was above the law but, if he wished it, he was the law. Might was right.
The fact that, during the lead-up to the BSP case, five shots were fired outside the house of one junior lawyer and another lawyer was car-jacked and bashed outside his home while another senior lawyer was in hiding for fear of his life convinced the lawyers to drop the case and for Judges to steer clear of it. This is called intimidating witnesses’ and is an offence – one which Mr Yama denies committing – well he would, wouldn’t he?
When Judges tremble before him, the rest follow suit – Police, media, politicians
When Peter Yama can make judges and senior lawyers tremble before him, his reputation is established and others all tread carefully and do their own obsequious genuflection – police, media, politicians…
And it seems that is what must be happening with the Special Parliamentary Coalition against Gender-Based Violence. All are too cowardly to call him out on his very-well-documented (but not prosecuted) aiding and abetting of savage violence against his daughter-in -law by his son – instead they embrace him as one of their own. Notwithstanding this, the Coalition avers (on their website) that:
No person shall be submitted to torture (whether physical or mental), or to treatment or punishment that is cruel or otherwise inhuman or is inconsistent with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.
Have they read the testimony by the Yama family’s victim? What would they call that? And to say it’s not been proved, are just weasel words because it’s never been tested – intimidation has taken care of that.
…there is enough jelly where there should be spines to furnish the needs of a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
They embrace the snake in their midst – and not only Yama, there are at least two others that I know of with known backgrounds of violence against women– you whistle, I’ll point.
Paul Keating (former PM of Australia) once called another former PM, Bob Hawke, “Old Jellyback,’ (i.e., lacking a spine.) – there is enough jelly for a Mad-Hatters tea party, running down where should be the spine of the PNG Special Parliamentary Committee, it seems.
It has taken a few women with next to no power, influence or money to save a woman from the extent of Yama’s power when “all the (proverbial) King’s horses and all the King’s men..” couldn’t or wouldn’t. So much for the noble warrior.
PNG’s Al Capone
As with Al Capone, everybody knows what Yama does (is doing?). It’s written all over the internet, but still he seems unstoppable, his violent reputation precedes him.
Syphilis has been blamed for Capone’s violence – what’s Yama’s excuse?
The main difference between the two is that the United States of America and its people did not vote for or appoint Al Capone as a governor of the country – PNG did – and Yama has, in the past been appointed a Minister of the government. Not even Al Capone was audacious enough to stand for government election.
Al Capone’s violence was legendary, and it has been mooted that the syphilis he caught as a young man had eaten into his brain causing his violence. So, that’s his excuse, what’s Yama’s (and his family’s)?
Please Note: None of the allegations and/or facts contained herein were obtained by any sort of inside information or privilege that I may have. A cursory Google search uncovered all (and more) that I needed to know. This information is available in the public sphere and in many cases, has been for a long time.
HAVE KNOW PETER YAMA SINCE 1980. HIS CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES STARTED WAY BEFORE THAT YEAR. HE WAS A POLICE CID . HE TEAMED UP WITH CRIMINALS IN PORT MORESBY, MAINLY STEALING VEHICLES. THEIR HIDEOUT WAS PAST GAIRE VILLAGE. IN THE BUSH THERE THEY WOULD STRIP THE CARS AND SELL THEIR PARTS TO DAVIES WRECKERS AT 6 MILE. PETER PLAYED THE PART TO ACT AS POLICE CHASING AFTER THE STOLEN CARS BUT WILL INTERN GUIDE THEM. HE STARTED HIS SIDELINE MONEY MAKING FROM THIS CAR PARTS DEAL. ALL THIS BULLSHITS ABOUT HUMBLE BEGINNING IS OK OUTRIGHT LIE.
I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO WRITE A CHEQUE FOR K65 IN 1980 WHEN HE STARTED YAMA SECURITY SERVICES COMPANY WHILST I WAS WORKING FOR WEWAK TIMBER COMPANY BASED IN MADANG. HE WAS OPERATING FROM A SECOND HAND MINI BUS EX POST &. TELECOMMUNICATION CORPORATION BUS. HIS EMPLOYEE WERE HIS FAMILY MEMBERS MAINLY FROM WABAG. HE NEVER PAID THEM WAGES BUT INSTEAD BUYS BAG OF RICE ONLY TO FEED THEM.
THEN HE HAD HIS OPPORTUNITY WITH AIR NIUGINI CONTRACT, A BIG BREAK THROUGH BECAUSE MASKET IANGALIO ANOTHER ENGA MAN WAS MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR AIR NIUGINI THEN. ALL HIS LIFE HE WAS NEVER A PRUDENT BUSINESSMAN. HE IS NOTORIOUS FOR INTIMIDATION AND THREATS AND FRAUDS. HE IS A PURE ENGAN . HE IS NOT FROM MADANG.
I APPRECIATE READING YOUR PIECE . EVERYTHING HE DOES IN HIS LIFE IS IMMORAL AND YOU RIGHTFULLY LABELLED HIM A SATAN. HE IS A TRUE SATAN.
Very good start for Madang people to know their Governor more, not the first time, another recycle wannabe politician, this guy is no way close to Al Capone, Madang people knows him not the rest of PNG, Bryan Kramer scare the shit out of him
I used to think Isaac Newton’s Law of Motion “to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction” applies only in a physics lab. Then I started reading quantum mechanics and saw that the law of motion also applies to human action and thought. I feel sorry for Yama and his kind. Their action in this life will be a terrible reaction in the next…nature will ultimately account for all action by reacting accordingly.