Marape goes to high court to prevent arrest

FINANCE Minister and Tari-Pori MP James Marape yesterday applied in the Supreme Court seeking court order to temporarily stop police from arresting him in connection with the controversial K71.8 million paid to a law firm for legal service rendered to the state.

In his submission in that application, Mr Marape’s lawyer, Robert Leo, said the contempt charge against Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki by other police officers is the proof of police persisting the arrest of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

Mr Marape has been implicated along with Mr O’Neill and former Treasurer Don Polye and others in connection with the K71.8 million legal bills paid by the State to the law firm.

Mr Leo submitted that although his client had not been served with any bench warrant or warrant of arrest, as opposed to Prime Minister, his application for interim injunction is to maintain the status quo of the proceedings related to the controversial legal bill paid to the law firm and peace and good order in the community.

Mr Marape is seeking interim injunction to stop police from arresting him pending a Supreme Court appeal and substantive proceedings on taxation he has instituted before the National Court at Waigani.

A Supreme Court appeal was in relation to Justice Ere Kariko’s decision that left the case in the hands of the Police Commissioner to execute or not the warrant of arrest on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

A taxation proceedings commenced by Mr Marape himself is before Justice Catherine Davani in the National Court.

In that proceeding, the court is to hear and determine whether the legal bills were itemised with costs and taxed accordingly to work done by a law firm implicated to establish the legality of the bills paid.

On Mr Marape’s application for interim injunction to stop police from making arrest on him, all lawyers for the concerned parties involved in the proceeding namely Ms Tiffany Twivey for Prime Minister, Mr Martin Kombri for Paul Paraka Lawyers, Mr Sam Bonner for Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki and Mr Ralph Saulep for Attorney-General Ano Pala, consented to Mr Marape’s application.

 

PNG Today / Post Courier