Papua New Guinea’s fight against cybercrime has received a major boost, with the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) formally handing over equipment's to strengthening its partnership with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary’s Cybercrime Unit, to create a safe digital space for all.
Speaking during the handover, NICTA Chief Executive Officer Mr. Lume Polume led the event alongside Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) Cybercrime Unit Acting Police Commissioner Mr. Hodges Ete, acknowledging the initiative first was driven last year by the Former Acting Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr to strengthen enforcement against growing digital threats.
The partnership, announced today 20th March, includes the donation of 6 laptops, 6 mobile phones, and a vehicle, along with technical and legal support to assist police investigations while reinforcing the respective mandates of both institutions.
The move aims to improve enforcement capacity and ensure cybercrime cases progress to prosecution.
“Cyber related issues keep coming on board every now and then. There’s a lot been happening out there, and we’ve got to step in to put an end to it. We’ve got to step up enforcement on that, so that we create a safe space for everyone, a safe digital space,” Mr. Polume said.
The cybercrime matters fall within the jurisdiction of law enforcement under the Cybercrime Code Act 2016 and the Criminal Code Act, NICTA’s role as the ICT regulator is to support and facilitate enforcement through the provision of technical expertise, ICT tools, and regulatory coordination.
Under the jurisdiction NICTA agreement is now to provide technical experts and legal team that will work closely with investigators on cybercrime cases, helping to strengthen evidence and support prosecutions.
“The idea is that we want the case now to advance prosecution. We want to get the case to the point that we prosecute in that way we can be able to discourage those that come up with all those malicious content and defamation,” he added.
RPNGC ACP Cybercrime Director Hodges Ete, welcomed the partnership describing cybercrime as a growing and complex threat affecting individuals, businesses, and government institutions across the country.
“Cybercrime is a growing and complex threat to the community. It affects individuals, families, businesses and government institutions, from online fraud and identity theft to harassment and financial scams, the impact is so broad,” said ACP Ete.
As noted, one of the biggest challenges that has been the increasing number of complaints and the difficulty in handling sophisticated, often cross-border cybercrime cases. Long queues at the Cyber Crime Unit reflect the growing demand for support, particularly in cases involving online harassment and exploitation.
The new collaboration is expected to address these challenges by improving mobility, boosting investigative capacity, and providing specialized expertise in emerging areas such as online child exploitation and digital fraud.
ACP Eta said that such support will significantly enhance their ability to respond to cybercrime reports and better serve the public.
The partnership also includes a long-term focus on capacity building, with plans to upskill investigators and strengthen the overall capability of the Cyber Crime Unit.
Officials from both NICTA and the police emphasized that the initiative signals a stronger, more coordinated approach to tackling cybercrime in Papua New Guinea.
With enforcement efforts now set to intensify, authorities say the focus will shift toward ensuring cases are successfully prosecuted, sending a clear message to offenders that cybercrime will not go unpunished.
