In the last few years, Papua New Guineans were told that the former head of the Finance Department, Steven Gibson, had passed on- deceased.
Even the courts accepted his passing despite minimal prove.
But now, a recent photograph that surfaced is raising troubling questions.
An image has emerged showing a man strikingly resembling Mr Gibson attending his daughter’s graduation at the University of Melbourne on November 17, 2025, just four months ago.
The photograph, unintentionally leaked on a LinkedIn page Chauka Ya, has reignited long-standing rumours that the former Finance Secretary may in fact still be alive.
The doubts are not new.
Despite Mr Gibson’s stature as a senior public servant who once controlled the nation’s purse, there has never been a public death notice, funeral announcement, condolence statement, or official record readily accessible confirming his passing.
Even a simple Google search yields no obituary, no media report of a burial, and no formal confirmation from authorities. For someone of his profile, such silence has always been unusual.
The only widely cited reference to his alleged death came during the prosecution of Jacob Yafai. In that trial, senior prosecutor Linda Maru told the court while basing on an affidavit of a police officer, that Mr Gibson had died sometime back in his home province on Manus Island.
The information was disputed by the defense lawyer, saying there was no evidence to proof Mr Gibson’s death.
However, Mrs Maru also stated that she had personal knowledge of Mr Gibson’s death because she was also from Manus.
However, no evidence including death certificate was formally produced in court to support the claim. Nonetheless, the court proceeded on the basis that Mr Gibson had died.
That development had significant consequences.
At the time controversial payments were made to Paraka Lawyers, Mr Yafai served as Deputy Secretary for Finance (Operations), while Mr Gibson was Secretary for Finance, the overall head of the department. Had Mr Gibson been alive, he would almost certainly have been called in as a State witness to faced scrutiny and possible prosecution alongside his subordinate. Instead, with the court nothing that he was dead, the spotlight fell squarely on Mr Yafai, who was subsequently convicted and jailed for failing to properly verify substantial public funds paid out as legal claims.
Now, the resurfaced photograph threatens to upend that settled history.
Observers point to the strong resemblance between the man in the graduation photo and Mr Gibson’s earlier public images, including an election campaign poster from when he once contested national elections back in 2017. The facial features, his built and overall appearance appear consistent, prompting speculation that he may have deliberately remained out of public view to avoid prosecution over alleged misappropriation of millions of kina during his tenure.
If the man in the photograph is indeed Steven Gibson, it would raise profound legal and constitutional questions. It would mean that a court accepted testimony of his death without documentary proof, and that a key figure in one of the country’s most controversial financial scandals was never brought to account.
At this stage, the matter remains unverified. A photograph alone does not constitute proof of life. However, the renewed public interest demands clarity.
It is now up to the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate and establish the truth: Is Steven Gibson alive? If he is, then the rule of law requires that he be brought before the courts to answer for decisions made during his time as Finance Secretary. If he is not, then official documentation should be made public to put the rumours to rest once and for all.
Until then, the questions will only grow louder.
