27 Jun 2014

Warrant for PNG's PM in court again

11:08 am on 27 June 2014

Lawyers for Papua New Guinea police and the country's prime minister, Peter O'Neill, are set to meet again in court Friday afternoon in Port Moresby.

There has been a week and a half of injunctions and other delays as police have sought to arrest Mr O'Neill over his alleged involvement in illegal payments made to a Port Moresby law firm.

In that period police have changed lawyers twice - with a deferment from Wednesday to allow the new lawyer to familiarise himself with the case.

Mr O'Neill has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.

He has also disbanded the anti corruption group, Taskforce Sweep, whose investigation led to the warrant.

Meanwhile Peter O'Neill has reportedly set up a new anti-corruption body, a week after he scrapped Taskforce Sweep.

Radio Australia reports the temporary anti-corruption body is to be headed by a retired Australian judge, Justice Graham Ellis.