Former Solomon Islands attorney-general acquitted of politically-driven charges

by wsws (reposted)

Tue, Dec 19, 2006 6:14AM

Julian Moti, former Solomon Islands attorney-general, was acquitted on December 13 of illegally entering the country without a passport. The court ruling is a blow to the Australian government, which launched a sustained witchhunt against Moti as part of its campaign against the Solomons’ government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. Canberra has nevertheless made clear that it will continue to pursue Moti and maintain its pressure on Sogavare.

The court’s dismissal of the charges demonstrates the baseless character of the entire case brought against Moti. Presiding magistrate William Seneka, a Papua New Guinean, freed Moti after acknowledging the validity of government documents permitting him to reside in the Solomon Islands until at least 2007. He ordered police to immediately return Moti’s confiscated property, including his computer and mobile phone.

Australian authorities in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) orchestrated the failed prosecution despite protests from the elected government. The Australian-dominated RAMSI force, which was dispatched by the Howard government in 2003, controls every aspect of the Solomons’ state apparatus, including the police, judiciary, prisons, media, central bank and finance department.

More
http://wsws.org/articles/2006/dec2006/moti-d19.shtml

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