Vanuatu President, Baldwin Lonsdale. Photo: AFP
Vanuatu President, Baldwin Lonsdale. Photo: AFP
Vanuatu's chiefs on Thursday met with the president, Father Baldwin Lonsdale, asking him to hold off any pardon of the 14 former MPs in jail on bribery convictions.
The president had earlier said he would not consider any pardons until after the MPs had finished their appeal process.
That happened on Monday and our correspondent reports that there are stories crculating in Port Vila that Fr Lonsdale is planning a pardon.
The chairman of the Port Vila Town Council of Chiefs and a member of the chiefs body, the Malfatumauri, Chief Isaac Worwor, says they met with the president and have been reassured.
"The rumours are going around in Port Vila but while we have discussions with him it looks like he is not in the position to pardon the 14 MPs. What he told us is no-one is above the law and if any pardoning is going to happen, it must follow the process - same as the other prisoners."
