16 Jun 2011

Vanuatu prosecutor plans defamation action against a publisher

7:51 am on 16 June 2011

The public prosecutor of Vanuatu is considering defamation action against the publisher of a newspaper .

Daily Post publisher Marc-Neil Jones was the victim of an alleged assault in which the minister of Public Utilities, Harry Iauko, faces charges.

Public Prosecutor, Kayleen Tavoa, says Mr Jones approached the Minister of Justice to try and remove her office from trying the case, suggesting a conflict of interest, which he also outlined in a Daily Post article.

She says if anyone is putting pressure on her office it's Mr Jones.

"We have received no pressure from the government nor from Mr Iauko's electives or anybody within the political circles, we have received no pressure at all from them the only pressure we've received is from Mr Jones."

Kayleen Tavoa says the case has been blown out of proportion and it's a matter for the magistrates court.