By VERONICA MANUK and ELIZABETH VUVU
THE deputy governor and another senior officer with the New Ireland provincial government have been arrested for allegedly defaming a senior District Court magistrate.
The first secretary to the governor’s office Dr Sition Gion was arrested on Jan 15 but Deputy Governor Derol Maisi refused to report to the police station as directed.
A warrant of arrest was issued for Mr Maisi on Tuesday and he spent the night in the police cell before being released on K500 bail the next day.
Yesterday, he appeared before Kavieng District Court magistrate Thomas Vogusang and pleaded not guilty to defaming Mr Karapo.
Dr Gion appeared before the same court on Monday, where he also pleaded not guilty.
He is also out on bail.
Both cases were presided by magistrate Vogusang, who fixed Feb 6 for hearing.
Mr Maisi and Dr Gion are alleged to have defamed Mr Orim Karapo in a heated argument, which was broadcast over the local radio.
Meanwhile, both Mr Karapo and Mr Vogusang are in a tug-of-war with the provincial government over a vehicle allocated to the Magisterial Service by the previous administration.
It was learnt that the two magistrates were in court, when three officers from the governor’s office fronted up at the Kavieng District Court house demanding the keys to the vehicle.
They handed a letter from Dr Gion to Mr Karapo, which stated that the vehicle was illegally purchased.
The letter read in part “… the decision made by the PAPPC of December 2006, has been reviewed and have been found not to follow standing policies of the Government and Procurements and the Finance Management Acts … ”.
The letter further stated that the vehicle was to be returned immediately.
The National also sighted a letter from Mr Karapo to Dr Gion saying that he could not comply with the directive because “as far as the Magisterial Service was concerned, the vehicle was properly donated and received in good faith”.
He said he might refer the matter to the Ombudsman Commission to decide whether the Leadership Code was breached.
Mr Karapo said he was the custodian of all properties donated to the law and justice sector in New Ireland and unless there was a court order, he would maintain control of them.
Governor Sir Julius Chan described Mr Karapo’s response to Dr Gion directives as “direct insubordination and violation of public trust in his role as a senior magistrate”.
“Mr Karapo is not above the law,” he said.
He, however, said he had no knowledge of Dr Gion’s general directions to all public institutions.