Lawyer on fraud-related charges

By BOURA GORUKILA
A LAWYER was re-arrested yesterday in relation to staying the operation for the arrest of former prime minister Peter O’Neill last year, locked up at the Boroko police cell and later released on a K2,000 bail.
National Capital District Met Supt Perou N’dranou said the principal of Niu Age Lawyers George Lau, 40, of Kaipare village in Laiagam, Enga, was charged with two counts of forgery, two counts of uttering, two counts of taking false oath and a count of conspiracy to defraud – all totalling seven counts.
Lau was initially arrested and charged but the matter was struck out due to incomplete court files.
The brief stated that between last Oct 11 and Oct 16, police suspected that Lau had received instructions from O’Neill on Oct 15 between 11am and 6pm to provide legal advice to stay the operation for his warrant of arrest obtained by police on Oct 11.
Lau and others were alleged to have gone to the Waigani District Court house and colluded with registry clerk Christine Moiyang to have the warrant of arrest, notice of motion, affidavits in support and police information and summary of facts printed to apply for an urgent stay order.
The alleged forged and uttered documents were used to apply for a stay order in the National Court and was granted by the court.
Police alleged that the documents submitted by Lau and O’Neill in their application to stay the operation of warrant for arrest were forged and uttered.
Lau told The National that his case was struck out for want of prosecution because police failed to provide a police file within three months which was reasonable time. “I was re-arrested after voluntarily turning up at the Boroko Police Station. They re-arrested me without providing me any file,” he said.
“I even cautioned the arresting officer that a case was filed at the Supreme Court regarding the validity of the warrant of arrest and was still pending as only the courts will decide whether the warrant was genuine or not.”
Lau said he had also lodged a complaint on last Nov 12, against Police Minister Bryan Kramer regarding his questions on the validity of the warrant of arrest but was told that his complaint would be attended too after dealing with his case.
“My case was struck out and nothing has happened to my complaint in the last eight months.
“I want answers from the Police Commissioner and his policemen as to what happened to my complaint. Why is my complaint collecting dust?
“If they can re-arrest me, what happens to my complaint?
“We are all equal in the eyes of the law,” he said.
Lau is expected to appear in court on a later date.