27 Jan 2016

Vanuatu's Natuman slams arrest warrant attempt

8:32 pm on 27 January 2016
Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman

Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman Photo: Supplied

Vanuatu's Supreme Court has found as baseless an attempt to obtain an arrest warrant on the former prime minister Joe Natuman.

Police last year launched an investigation into Mr Natuman after complaints by the man he deposed as prime minister, Moana Carcasses, that he obstructed police probes into allegations of mutiny within the police force in 2012.

Speculation about the arrest warrant re-surfaced in the campaign ahead of last week's election, in which Mr Natuman won re-election.

The acting president of the Vanua'aku Pati and Tanna MP, Mr Natuman said he'd been the subject of a witch hunt by political opponents keen to tarnish his reputation.

"I think they were trying to disturb our negotiations to form the new government, so yesterday and the day before, I think that was the intention. I think this so-called police investigation that tried to get the warrant was politically motivated by certain politicians, in this case the caretaker government."