9 Jan 2014

PNG court to hear issue over warrants for PM

7:30 am on 9 January 2014

A dispute regarding three sets of warrants issued for the arrest of the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister and two senior ministers will be heard in court today.

The warrants were issued by the Waigani District Court last year and obtained by senior constable Robert Ewail from the National Fraud and Anti-corruption Directorate.

The Prime Minsiter Peter O'Neill has ordered a police investigation into the manner in which the warrants were obtained, claiming they were issued outside of the usual lawful process.

The opposition leader Belden Namah says the warrants are legitimate as they follow a police complaint he made against Mr O'Neill in October and says their arguments will be raised in court.

"They will argue that the proper process was not adhered to. The prosecution will argue that this is the normal police work that they have obtained warrants for their arrest based on my complaint. So it's for the presiding judge to make the final decision."

The opposition leader in Papua New Guinea, Belden Namah.