The Papua New Guinea media has been urged by a judge to exercise restraint when reporting on the controversial sidelining of four policemen by the police commissioner.
The Senior Supreme and National Court judge, Justice Catherine Davani, said yesterday that the politically sensitive matter should be left to be dealt with properly by the courts.
She made the comments after a lawyer acting for the Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill and Treasurer, Don Polye, applied for a statement to be made refraining the media from reporting on the matter until after the hearing.
But our correspondent Todagia Kelola says the opposition and media disagreed.
"The lawyer for the opposition leader objected to that application and stated that the media must not be gagged because although it's politically sensitive, the rest of Papua New Guinea have a right to know and the media should report it."
Todagia Kelola says the judge fell short of giving an order to stop reporting, only giving a statement urging responsible reporting.
