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Moves afoot to scrap
inquiry
THE Defence Board of Inquiry into the Julia
Moti saga could be disbanded if the Government succeeds in a court
action Defence Secretary Frederick Punangi is pursuing.
While the inquiry has attracted a lot of public interest, people in
Government are of the opinion that it has gone outside its bounds and
jurisdiction, and should be stopped.
Secretary Punangi has held discussions with the State Solicitor’s Office
with a view to seeking in the National Court a judicial review of the
inquiry.
He has also advised Defence Minister Martin Aini to suspend the inquiry
pending the judiciary review.
It is understood Mr Aini met with the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare
to discuss this move, and could sign the instrument to suspend the
inquiry today.
In a statement released yesterday, Mr Punangi said he made his
intentions known to Mr Aini upon the minister’s return from his
electorate on Tuesday.
Mr Punangi, who has himself given evidence at the inquiry, said he was
dissatisfied with the manner in which the inquiry was conducting its
business.
He said it was overstepping its jurisdiction.
He said he held an audience with the counsel assisting the inquiry John
Kawi on Jan 4 to express his concerns on this issue.
He said he sought independent legal opinion on the matter and was
satisfied that a case existed for a judicial review or direction from
the National Court.
“As a member of the Defence Council and principal advisor to the
Minister for Defence, I am quite concerned that the minister’s good
intention was being misapplied with the current proceedings.”
On Monday, the Prime Minister described the Moti issue and the inquiry
as a “dead issue” and criticised journalists for “wasting 90% of their
time writing about garbage”.
Inquiry board chairman Justice Gibbs Salika on Tuesday said the comments
were unbecoming of a Prime Minister, especially when laws were broken to
spirit Moti to Solomon Islands on Oct 10, 2006 in a secret flight.
Opposition leader Peter O’Neill, who has urged the Prime Minister to
given evidence at the inquiry to put to rest unanswered questions, said
the latest move by the Defence Secretary was highly suspicious.
“Whose interest is this going to serve? The nation, or personal
interest? The inquiry must be allowed to run its course so that the
people of PNG know what happened, and who should be punished,” he said
last night.
 
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