Police charge Pala
The National, Monday November 2nd, 2015
By BEATRICE BONAKOYA
JUSTICE Minister and Attorney-General Ano Pala has been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, perverting the course of justice and abuse of office.
He went to the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption office on Friday after he was requested by police to voluntarily go there for questioning. He was accompanied by his lawyer Ralph Saulep.
He later appeared at the Waigani District Court where he was granted a K6000 bail.
He will appear in court again on Dec. 2. His guarantors Margaret Aila and Ralph Saulep pledged K500 each.
Director of the Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate Superintendent Matthew Damaru said Pala was interviewed in relation to his role in the case involving the warrant of arrest taken out against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill by a magistrate court in Port Moresby.
Last week, the Supreme Court dismissed an application by Pala to have a warrant of arrest taken out against him stayed. The warrant was issued last July.
Damaru said he had written a letter to Pala requesting him to voluntarily surrender himself for questioning.
“We are pleased with the leader for cooperating. That’s what we expect from anybody to cooperate with the law and let the law take its own course,” Damaru said.
Pala said on Friday “in the spirit of pursuing a proper legal process, I have accepted the charges and will now defend myself in court”.
Pala was interviewed by police officers for two hours before he was taken to the Boroko police station.