By Online Editor
11:08 am GMT+12, 05/02/2013, Papua New Guinea

The Papua New Guinea Government’s Task Force Sweep faced its first major challenge Monday when its administration office in Waigani Port Moresby was ransacked by robbers.

The highly suspicious incident occurred early hours of this morning, as investigations by the Task Force into missing millions of kina in the National Planning Department heightens.

Task Force Sweep Chairman Sam Koim told NBC News, they have been preparing for such an event and that their spirits have not been crushed with the loss.

The sight at the Task Force office looked like the aftermath of a hurricane when NBC News visited this morning.

Papers were scattered all over the floor, while drawers and filling cabinets were jammed open revealing missing confidential investigation files.

Task Force Sweep Chairman Sam Koim says the loss of his office cannot be determined yet, until police investigations are completed.

Forensic police were on scene, dusting and collecting evidence of fingerprints.

Koim says he's concerned about the incident, highly suspicious when a similar ransacking incident was also reported at the National Planning Department, which is currently under investigations by Sweep.

Koim says they have been expecting such an incident and have been preparing for the worst, creating copies of their files both in hard and electronic copies and stored away in various safe locations.

Sweep has had a colourful record last year, when it registered over 170 complaints totalling the monetary value of over K2million (US$955, 000), with 52 of them under investigations. There's still 122 cases yet to be investigated, and more cases are being received daily.

From its investigations, the task force has secured 18 committals at the lower court, with the defendants attending their cases at the National Court. Sweep has made over K59million (US$28 million) in tax recoveries, over K2 million (US$955, 000) of which has already been paid to the Internal Revenue Commission, while the other amounts are going through further assessment.

In a recent subsequent National Executive Council decision, its Terms of Reference was further extended, until such time the Government's proposed Independent Commission Against Corruption comes to life, which will basically absorb the successful works of Task Force Sweep.