Police want to question former MP

 POLICE want to question a former MP who allegedly assaulted a lawyer in the Waigani court premises on Monday.

National Capital District Metropolitan Superintendent Andy Bawa said former Nipa-Kutubu MP Robert Kopaol had been told to go to the Boroko Police Station to be questioned over the matter.

Kopaol, the Nipa-Kutubu, Southern Highlands, MP from 2002 to 2007, told police he would be available for questioning tomorrow.

Meanwhile, former Justice Minister and Attorney-General Kerenga Kua has condemned the alleged assault, saying the victim is “a respected lawyer with a lot of integrity”.

“Court users and members of the public need to understand that lawyers are merely facilitators of dispute resolution,” Kua said in a statement.

“They have no interest other than to assist the court to identify the true facts, the real issues in dispute, and the proper law to be applied in the resolution of a dispute on hand.

“That is what they are trained to do. They are trained with ethical values which include the need to avoid lying or misleading the court.

“It is then up to the judges, having heard all the evidence from the witnesses, and the submissions from the lawyers, to make a final decision.

“Lawyers are an integral part of the judicial system.  They are officers of the court.”