By JULIA DAIA BORE
DEFENCE Minister Bob Dadae and a Sunday newspaper face contempt charges for commenting on the Julian Moti affair despite a reminder from the court registry.
The Registrar of the Supreme and National Courts Ian Augerea said yesterday that the Chief Justice had directed that a Supreme Court bench be set up immediately to initiate proceedings.
He said it was unfortunate that the minister had issued a detailed statement in the Sunday Chronicle on Nov 4 “on issues that may be the subject of the appeal” pending before the Supreme Court.
“The Chief Justice is empanelling a Supreme Court bench to immediately take up the issue of contempt of court, which appeared to be continuing,” he said in a press statement.
Last Friday, the registry took out advertisements in The National and the Post-Courier advising all to stop further publication or comments on the Moti affair or face contempt proceedings.
A few days earlier, Mr Dadae had held a press conference to declare that the findings of the PNG Defence Force Board of Inquiry into the Moti affair could not be accepted.
The next day, Justice Salika Gibbs, who had chaired the Board of Inquiry, and members of the Opposition criticised Mr Dadae’s announcement.
Last Sunday, the Sunday Chronicle carried Mr Dadae’s statement in full over six pages, supposedly in the form of an advertisement.
The National contacted Mr Dadae in Lae late yesterday but the call broke off before it could be confirmed whether he had authorised the advertisement.
Mr Dadae, who is currently in his home town of Lae, only said that he had issued the statement on Oct 29.
Sunday Chronicle editor-in-chief Sam Vulum denied that the weekly newspaper had committed contempt of court.
“We were not able to publish the information (Mr Dadae’s statement) until our next edition which was on Sunday (Nov 4),” he said.