11 Jun 2009

Former Solomons AG Moti gets more time to prepare defence in child sex case

2:00 pm on 11 June 2009

The former Solomon Islands Attorney-General, Julian Moti, has been given more time to gather statements from witnesses to support his stay application on child sex charges.

Brisbane's Supreme Court granted Mr Moti until June the 22nd to file any further affidavits.

Mr Moti, a Fiji-born Australian citizen, has been charged with seven counts of engaging in sexual intercourse with a person under 16.

The charges relate to the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl in Noumea and Vanuatu in 1997.

He was arrested in December 2007 at Brisbane International Airport after being deported from Honiara following his sacking as Attorney-General.

As part of his stay application, Mr Moti recently issued subpoenas to eight government agencies asking that they reveal documents relating to his prosecution.

He also claims the departments, which include the Australian Federal Police and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, conspired to prosecute him because he was an impediment to their political interests in the Solomons.