A prominent Papua New Guinea bureaucrat, who is facing a charge of murder, was on the short list for at least three head of department positions before he was arrested last month.
Theo Yasause has been charged over the killing of former rugby league star, Aquila Emil.
The newspaper, The National, says the jobs included chief secretary, secretary of Commerce and Industry and secretary of Education.
Two of those jobs have yet to be filled.
Mr Yasause had formerly headed the Office of Climate Change which was shut down under controversial circumstances.
