9 Jan 2014

PNG court invalidates arrest warrants against PM

8:10 pm on 9 January 2014

A district court in Papua New Guinea has ruled that arrest warrants issued for the prime minister and two senior ministers are to be set aside.

It found that the procedure was not followed properly.

The warrants were issued after the opposition leader, Belden Namah, lodged a complaint, alleging corruption.

Our correspondent, Todagia Kelola, reports.

"All warrants issued on November the 23rd are set aside and there was also an application sought for summary dismissal of all complaints by the police and also the prime minister's lawyers sought for summary dismissal, but the district court refused that. The district also ordered that police are at liberty to apply for fresh warrants."