Namah slams O’Neill’s move to get a bench warrant for his arrest

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
VANIMO-Green MP Belden Namah, pictured, says there was no need for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to get a bench warrant from the Supreme Court to have him arrested.
“He (O’Neill) and his lawyer Tiffany Twivey should have just published my summons in the media for me to know that I needed to receive the summons to appear before the court for a case that they have filed against me,” Namah said.
“They should have served the summons to my lawyer Greg Sheppard in his office in Port Moresby.
“There was no need for them to go to the court to get an arrest warrant for me.
“I’ve just got this summons today from my lawyer’s office.
“It was simple.
“There was no need to go to court. In fact, I was not evading the summons.
“I was in my electorate in West Sepik because I’m under suspension due to my case before the Leadership Tribunal.
“As a responsible leader of the country, I have to abide by the law of this country and I have respected that.
“When you are facing the Leadership Tribunal, you are automatically suspended.
“And while awaiting the outcome of the tribunal’s decision, I was in the village spending more time with my people, hunting in the bush, fishing in the river, just to be free.”
Namah said yesterday he did not fear contempt charges.
“I can go to jail for expressing my views without fear or favour.
“In fact, I’ve been there already for doing that.”
The summons for contempt charges was served to Namah, Opposition Leader Patrick Pruaitch (Aitape-Lumi MP), Sir Mekere Morauta (Moresby North-West MP), Bryan Krammer (Madang MP) and Kerenga Kua (Sinasina-Yongomugl MP).
The Opposition MPs had a media conference and criticised the Supreme Court’s decision to quash an arrest warrant against O’Neill last December.