Danaya cleared of conspiracy

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The National, Tuesday 24th April 2012

By JUNIOR UKAHA
THE Waigani Committal Court has dismissed a conspiracy charge against Western province governor Dr Bob Danaya.
The charge was thrown out by Senior Magistrate Rosie Johnson after the state pro­secutor failed to produce the person or party with whom Danaya had alle­gedly conspired with.
Danaya was charged by NCD police last Tuesday with one count of conspiracy to defraud, false pretence and fraudu­lent uttering a false document.
The charges were all in relation to a provincial executive council decision he was alleged to have been involved in to sack a William Goi­nau, the administrator of Western province.
“How do I deal with the conspiracy case if the other person is not here?” Johnson asked the prosecutor.
“He (Danaya) cannot be charged when the other person is not available.”
The prosecutor told the court that the co-accused was in Western province and had to be arrested by police.
Danaya’s lawyer asked the court to dismiss the two remaining charges as well as they were related to the first charge.
The court adjourned the matter to May 9.