Lawyers fight back

National, Normal
Source:

The National – Thursday, February 17, 2011

By DENNIS ORERE
KAPU Rageau, one of two lawyers charged by police last week with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, has hit back by saying that they were not involved in any fraudulent deals or attempts to pervert the course of justice.
Rageau from Rageau, Manua and Kikira (RMK) Lawyers said they had initially rejected requests to produce documents related to the sale of a property in Port Moresby as Barry Trewin, a companion of complainant Tom Amaiu, was available.
“Who was he that we would present the files to him? We wanted to follow the right proceedings ordered by the court for the submission of documents regarding the sale of the property,” Rageau said.
“There was no fraud involved. Amaiu and his team just wanted to spoil our reputation.”
According to Rageau, the two lawyers from the same firm immediately left the police station after getting their lawyers to have them released on bail.
The property under question is Allotment 17, Section 52 in Hohola, Port Moresby.
Amaiu, a former MP, claims the property belonged to him and that this property had been sold without his consent.
According to NCD police, the other lawyer charged was Hubert Kikira, also from RMK Lawyers. 
NCD police chief of operations Chief Insp Jim Namora confirmed yesterday that initially three lawyers were to be arrested but eventually only two were charged.
Namora said from the reports he had received, the other lawyer, Lionel Manua, who is also from RMK Lawyers, was yet to be arrested.
The two lawyers were charged under Section 128 (1) of the Criminal Code Act, Chapter 262.
Namora also said the lawyers were out on K500 bail and that the case would be heard at the Waigani committal court at 9.30am on Feb 24.