Papua New Guinea lawyer Paul Paraka has denied media reports that he has lost his bid to stop criminal proceedings against him.
Paul Paraka Photo: PNGExposed
Mr Paraka is at the centre of a fraud case regarding alleged illegal state payments of US$30 million to his law firm which has engulfed the highest levels of PNG government.
Yesterday, local media reported that Mr Paraka failed in his bid to have proceedings against him stayed in the committal court pending the result of a national court case.
Mr Paraka, who faces over 30 corruption-related charges, says the charges are baseless.
He warns he will soon file a lawsuit against those who advanced the allegations against him.
"Because everything was politically charged. You see everyone was emotionally charged. You see, it all stemmed from the parliament. The opposition leader said something's wrong, Paraka's payment, Paraka's payment you know, the politicians authorised it, you see.
"So when the politicians authorised it, they made it look as though something was fraudulent."
Paul Paraka argued the allegation that his firm was fraudulently paid despite a Supreme Court stay order related to a contempt of court issue rather than a criminal matter.
According to him, his bid to stop the proceedings against him had not finished. An attempt by police fraud detectives to pursue an arrest warrant against the prime minister Peter O'Neill in relation to the Paraka Lawyers payment was last week finally quashed after over three years.
Mr Paraka said the whole case had been grossly misrepresented because of the involvement of politicians, and the efforts of the former anti-corruption agency Taskforce Sweep.
"Everything will be exposed when I launch the biggest lawsuit against this bunch of stupid guys and the government and state in two weeks time," said Mr Paraka.
"They'll face the full brunt of the law. It's my turn to teach them a lesson. And Paraka will deal with them through the power of the judicial process and the rule of law and the laws of this country."
