29 Dec 2007

Julian Moti remains in custody

10:58 am on 29 December 2007

The Federal Opposition Leader in Australia Dr Brendan Nelson says the alleged child sex offender Julian Moti will be brought to justice now that he has been deported to Australia.

Mr Moti was remanded in custody after he appeared in a Brisbane Court yesterday.

The Australian lawyer was deported on Thursday from Honiara, after being sacked as the Solomon Islands attorney-general on the weekend by new Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua.

Australian Federal Police officers arrested 42 year old Julian Moti, at Brisbane Airport soon after he arrived on a Solomon Airlines flight.

He was charged with the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl in Vanuatu in 1997.

Dr Nelson told reporters that Mr Moti's deportation comes only as a result of the change of government in Solomon Islands.

He says Mr Moti faces very serious charges and he will be brought to justice in Australia, and not before time.