Opposition deplores contents of leaked secret Cabinet document

Leader of Opposition Fred Fono says he deplores the contents of a secret document which allegedly reveals the reasons for the Prime Minister's inquiry into the April riots.

The Solomon Star has published the details of the leaked Cabinet paper in its issue yesterday.

It says Manasseh Sogavare wanted to see the police investigation into the case of the MP's halted.

The document says Mr Sogavare also expected the court proceedings against the MP's suspended once the Commission of Inquiry is established.

Reacting to the front page story, Mr Fono says if this is what the government plan, it is interfering into the workings of the judiciary. He says the Prime minister may have powers to set up terms of references to any commission of inquiry but it does not have the power to interfere into the activities of the courts.

Mr Fono says if the prime minister had intended to stop the police investigation into the riots, it is already a contempt of court.

He says the arrest of the two Honiara members of Parliament was not political and the court and the Commission of Inquiry should have equal chance to come up with their findings.

Mr Fono says as the leader of Opposition he accepts the government's decision to replace Marcus Einfeld with a retired Papua New Guinea judge.

Source: SIBC