28 Dec 2007

Search for capable Solomon Islander to take Attorney General's role

2:40 pm on 28 December 2007

The Solomon Islands Government says it is yet to decide who will replace Julian Moti as Attorney General.

Mr Moti was last night arrested by Australian police in Brisbane on alleged child sex offences in Vanuatu 10 years ago.

He was deported from Honiara yesterday after the new Solomon Islands Government had removed him from the Attorney General's position in one of its first actions on coming to power last week.

The chief secretary of the Government, Mathew Wale, says they want a Solomon Islander in the role and there are a number of capable lawyers who qualify.

"I think that the informal discussions that have happened already, I think, are fairly positive. The Government wants to get the right person for that role to regain some credibility and bring integrity back to that very important office, but a decision as to who that person will be, that hasn't been made yet."

The former Attorney General, Primo Afeau, who was removed by the previous government to make room for Julian Moti, is understood to have ruled himself out of returning to the position.