Solomon government plans to issue Moti with a Solomon Islands Passport

The Solomon Islands government is moving urgently to provide Julian Moti with a Solomon Islands passport to enable him travel to Honiara to take up his job as Attorney General.

The Australian government cancelled Mr Moti’s passport and wants to extradite him to face child sex offence charges dating back to 1997.

The Prime Minister’s press secretary, Deli Oso, was quoted as saying Mr Moti is a free man as far as Solomon Islands is concerned. She says Moti is expected in the country to start work next week. Ms Oso says the Solomon Islands government is working on a way to bring him over to Honiara, and it might mean the issuance of a Solomon Islands passport to Moti.

This is regardless of the fact that the Public Service Commission has suspended the appointment of Julian Moti as the country's attorney general.

Chairman of the Public Service Commission Edmund Andresen says the commission decided under sections 118 and 116 of the constitution to immediately suspend the appointment of Mr Moti. Mr Andresen says the commission was mindful of its constitutional obligations for the proper administration of justice in the public service.

The commission made its decision to immediately suspend Mr Moti at an urgent meeting convened on wednesday to consider a recommendation from the judicial and Legal Services commission.

Mr Andresen says the course of action has come about in light of fresh and new revelations regarding the issue of an Australian judicial arrest warrant, alleging that Moti committed child sex offenses under Australian laws. He says these are very serious offences which carry a maximum penalty of 17 years imprisonment in that jurisdiction.

Source: SIBC