Inmate: Law firm says govt is paying for free legal services

AN inmate at Kerevat prison is alleging a law firm has been telling inmates it is being paid by the government to help them.
Inmate Daniel Kanini told the Supreme Court in Kokopo last Thursday that lawyers from the firm were saying they could provide inmates with free legal services as their fees were being met by the government.
Kanini appeared in the Supreme Court last Thursday for his appeal against a rape case.
He was representing himself in the Supreme Court.
When asked why he had no legal representation, he told the court he had sought legal help from the public solicitors  but did not get a favourable response.
On how he would pay legal fees, Kanini claimed the law firm  usually told them they were getting paid by the government to give them free legal aid.
Prosecutors present at that time said private law firms were not paid by the government.
“Kanini’s claim either true or not true, this is not on and it is important that people know that the government does not pay private law firms to assist clients freely,” a prosecutor said.