Three PNG high officials suspended over Moti's case

Three senior government officials of Papua New Guinea (PNG) have been suspended over the case of wanted Australian lawyer Julian Moti, Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio reported Wednesday.

The suspension came following an investigation into Moti's escape from PNG to the Solomon Islands last month.

PNG's government has confirmed its defense force commander, Peter Ilau, the chief secretary to the government, Joshua Kalinoe, and the acting police commissioner, Tom Kulunga, have been suspended.

Moti, an Australian citizen, was appointed as Solomons attorney- general on Sept. 21 and was arrested in PNG at the end of September at the request of the Australian government, who is seeking to extradite Moti to face child sex charges involving a 13- year-old girl in Vanuatu in 1997.

Moti later jumped bail and had been taking political refuge in the Solomon Islands High Commission in PNG before he was flown to the Solomon Islands on board a PNG military plane a month ago.

Moti's case is now the focus of the strained relations between the Solomons and Australia which is sparked by the expulsion of Australian high commissioner in September.

Canberra is not happy with the appointment of Moti, a personal friend of Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and is seen to have an anti-Australian influence on the prime minister.

But Australia has denied its pursuit of Moti is politically motivated.

Canberra also suspended visits by PNG ministers to Australia.

Source: Xinhua