23 Sep 2013

Arrest warrant for ex-CNMI governor still active

3:03 pm on 23 September 2013

The Office of the Public Auditor in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas says the arrest warrant issued against the former governor Benigno Fitial is still active.

The Auditor's legal counsel, George Hasselback, says his office is continuing with efforts to serve the warrant on Mr Fitial, who resigned in February a few days after being impeached by the House of Representatives.

Mr Hasselback says he has no information on the whereabouts of the former governor.

The Superior Court Associate Judge David Wiseman reissued the arrest warrant in June, following Mr Hasselback's renewed request.

In May it was reported Mr Fitial was recuperating from gall bladder surgery in the Philippines.

The auditor filed seven criminal charges against Mr Fitial for his role in an alleged conspiracy to shield the former attorney general Edward Buckingham from being served with a penal summons in August last year.