Appear in court or face arrest, police chief warned

 POLICE Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki has been ordered to appear in the Waigani National Court on Friday to answer to his contempt of court charges. 

Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia made the order after he noted Vaki’s absence in court yesterday. The contempt case was filed by the director of the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate, Matthew Damaru, on July 15. It relates to Vaki’s alleged actions in preventing the execution of the arrest warrant on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill. 

Damaru’s lawyer McDonald Nale told the court yesterday that all necessary documents were served on Vaki. 

Sir Salamo said however the court documents did not compel Vaki to be present in court to answer to the contempt allegations. He said it was appropriate that he order Vaki to appear in court to answer to the contempt charges. 

He told Nale that failure by Vaki in attending would result in a warrant of arrest being issued to secure Vaki’s attendance. The court ordered Damaru to serve a sealed copy of the court order on Vaki. 

Sir Salamo said that the purpose of his order was to secure Vaki’s attendance in court.