The National Court in Waigaini has refused an attempt by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, to remove two senior fraud investigators involved in an alleged corruption case against the Prime Minister.
Peter O'Neil and James Marape had argued through their lawyers this morning, that there was no need for the Director of the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate, Chief Superintendent Matthew Damaru and his deputy, Chief Inspector Timothy Gitua, to be involved in the case. Mr. O'Neil and Marape's legal team, says the two investigators are adequately represented by Police Commissioner, Gary Baki, whose already a party in the case. But lawyers for Mr. Damaru and Gitua have argued that the bid by Prime Minister O'Neil and Minister Marape is incompetent and should be dismissed. Yesterday, PNG's Chief Migration Officer Mataio Rabura also revealed a ban against two Australian lawyers Gregory Egan and Terry Lambert, involved with anti-corruption body Task Force Sweep, in the same corruption case against the Prime Minister. Task Force Sweep Chairman Sam Koim says his lawyers are working to over turn the decision by Mr. Rabura. Meantime, Prime Minister Peter O'Neil and Finance Minister James Marape's legal team will be appealing the inclusion of Chief Superintendent Matthew Damaru and Chief Inspector Timothy Gitua in the alleged corruption case against the Prime Minister. The appeal follows a decision by the National Court in Waigani this afternoon, refusing a bid by the Government team to remove the two senior police investigators from the case. The appeal will go before a full Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Derek Harthshorn, Don Sawong and Colin Makail on November 17th. Other matters relating to the case will also be heard by the same court then.
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