25 Jan 2005

Inquiry into attempted arrest of Vanuatu's former prime minister at an end

2:10 pm on 25 January 2005

The former prime minister of Vanuatu, Serge Vohor, says a commission of inquiry he appointed into his attempted arrest last year, has been stopped by the current prime minister.

Mr Vohor launched the inquiry after there was an attempt to arrest him following disparaging remarks he made in parliament about the chief justice.

Contempt charges had been laid while Mr Vohor was overseas and the attempted arrest happened on his return.

The charges were quashed by the Supreme Court on the grounds that Mr Vohor had not been fairly treated.

The inquiry was scheduled to complete its report by today, however Mr Vohor says the prime minister, Ham Lini, has put an end to it.

Mr Vohor says the prime minister made the decision because some of the people that could have been implicated were close to him and very important.

"There's some conflict of interest with the prime minister and his family and his office, himself and also the prosecution office and some of the members of his family"

they are involved in the judiciary coup against myself last time.

Mr Vohor says he also has a letter from the Attorney-General showing that Australian advisers were involved in the decision to attempt to arrest him.

He says he will look at going to an International Human Rights Court to get the matter resolved.