Police file application to cancel O'neill's arrest warrant

Police have filed an application to set aside the initial warrant of arrest of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill at the Waigani Committal Court.
According to court documents obtained by the media, revealed that the application was filed by Acting Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki through his lawyer Sam Bona against the State.
The application seeks to temporally set aside the arrest warrant issued by police fraud officers recently to have the Prime Minister arrested and questioned in relation to the alleged fraudulent payment of K71.8 million to Paul Paraka Lawyers.
The police lawyer will ask the district court to temporarily discontinue the warrant until the National Court determines the application for taxation of the legal bills to Paul Paraka.
Also today, the National Court will hear the Prime Minister’s application to stay the same warrant of arrest pending the determination of the taxation of the legal bills to Paul Paraka.
The matter was adjourned on Wednesday to today due to an issue of change of lawyers representing the police in the matter.
Lawyer Paul Mawa, who had successfuly replaced police in-house lawyer Nicolas Miviri and represented police in the proceeding, was again replaced by Sam Bona.
Mr Bona asked the court to adjourn the matter for 21 days to allow his client to study the case but the court refused the applications for adjournments and adjourned to today.

 

PNG Today / Post COurier