Lawyer: Allegations against client the work of officers with vested interests

BEFORE yesterday afternoon’s National Court’s ruling against the reinstatement of Joseph Lelang as the National Planning Department’s secretary (see story above),  lawyer Philemon Korowi told a Committal Court at Waigani that charges and allegations against Lelang were premeditated by officers who had “vested interests”.
Korowi said there were evidence of conspiracy between certain ministers and officers in various department to remove Lelang from office.
Lelang was charged with break-in, entering and stealing after a court had reinstated him as secretary of National Planning.
He was alleged to have broken the locks to his office and stolen important documents.
Korowi, however, said his client had never broken into the office.
He said Lelang came with his reinstatement order and had engaged a locksmith to change the locks of the door to his office in the presence of staff and police officers.
He said Leland’s office was occupied by the acting secretary Ruby Zarriga, who he said, had changed the locks on the door to the office.
Zarriga was out of the country at the time.
Korowi said Lelang had intercepted a letter allegedly written by Isikel Mesulam of the Personnel Management Department to the Public Service Minister Moses Maladina, a copy of which was forwarded to Zarriga.
He said the letter exposed conspiracy plans between the senior officers to keep Lelang out of office.
Korowi read the letter to the court saying the criminal allegations were pre-determined before they were executed.
He asked the court to dismiss the entire proceedings.
He said his client had no criminal intent when he changed the locks to the office.
The police prosecutor said Lelang should have followed proper administrative procedures and not enter the office at 6.45pm because it was after working hours.
He told the court it was a public office that should have been well maintained and respected.
Magistrate Rossie Johnson adjourned the matter to July 12 for a ruling.
Korowi informed the court that Lelang was in Australia for medical reasons.