29 Jul 2011

Julian Moti appeal over deportation to Australia to be heard next week

3:20 pm on 29 July 2011

The High Court of Australia will hear an appeal by former Solomon Islands attorney-general Julian Moti over the legality of his 2007 deportation to face child sex charges.

Mr Moti wants the High Court to overturn a 2010 decision by the Queensland Court of Appeal that his 2007 extradition to Australia was legal and further prosecution should go ahead.

The court is due to hear the appeal matter next week.

The court granted special leave in April to hear the case and will also examine if a payment of about 160 thousand US dollars to the alleged victim and her family brought the administration of justice into disrepute.

The charges related to the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl in Noumea and Vanuatu in 1997.

They were thrown out in December 2009, but the case was recently revived with a Queensland Court of Appeal ruling that the stay was made in error.