11 Sep 2012

Vanuatu ministers in court next week on charges connected to super yacht

9:07 am on 11 September 2012

Vanuatu's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alfred Carlot, and the Minister of Education, Marcelino Pepite, are now expected to appear in court on Friday week on charges of boarding the super yacht Phocea before it had customs clearance.

They are due to appear along with several others including the skipper Richard Malaise, the owner Pascal Anh Quan Saken, and Mr Carlot's private secretary, Matai Kalwatman.

Mr Saken and Mr Malaise are facing charges of providing forged documents.

These include papers purportedly appointing Mr Saken as a Vanuatu commissioner for trade, business, development and culture and that he would be made Vanuatu ambassador at large to the United States and Peru.

Mr Saken left Vanuatu before police raided the yacht more than 6 weeks ago.