New lawyer to represent Vaki

 By DAPHNE WANI
Former police commissioner Geoffrey Vaki will inform the national court in Waigani next Tuesday on the change of lawyers representing him to make submissions on verdict.
Justice David Cannings adjourned the case after Luke Siminji, representing Vaki, told court that the Public Solicitor would cease to represent Vaki.
Justice Cannings said the case would return to court on July 26 for mention and Vaki would inform the court of his new lawyer.
Justice Cannings said if the lawyer was present in court then the court would discuss the submissions on verdict.
State lawyer Anthony Kupmain sought for the case to be heard by next week.
Vaki is charged with abuse of office after he allegedly wrote a letter in his capacity as the acting police commissioner in June 2014 to lawyer Paul Mawa to represent him in a court case.
Vaki was served with an ex-officio indictment on Nov 4, last year, by the Public Prosecutor.
It was alleged that between June 1, 2014 and Dec 31, 2014, he abused the office with intent to prevent the arrest of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, by instructing Mawa to consent with O’Neill and Finance Minister James Marape in a national court case to stay the arrest warrant and prevent the police from conducting an interview with O’Neill.
The State also alleged that Vaki’s conduct was prejudicial to the rights of police officers Mathew Damaru and Timothy Gitua, who were the investigation officers who would execute the arrest warrant.