Lawyer representing Attorney-General Ano Pala yesterday filed supplementary submissions to earlier submissions filed on March 29 this year before the Waigani Committal Court.
Ronald John Webb and Pala returned for mention on Monday before the Committal Court before Magistrate John Kaumi, asking the court to discharge the three information charging Pala.
Pala was arrested and charged on Nov 2, 2015, with one count of defeating the course of justice, perverting the course of justice and abuse of office. He was released on K6,000 bail the same day.
All three counts involve allegations that he tried to prevent the course of justice when he consented to a stay application to stop the arrest of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for official corruption on June 17, 2014.
Facts outlined in the supplementary submission say the central element of each of the three charges is on instructions he gave an Attorney General to the Solicitor General on June 17, 2014.
Webb, in the written submission, said yesterday that Pala gave instructions as the principal legal adviser to the NEC. There was no doubt that in that role, it was part of his function and within his powers to instruct the Solicitor General to attend the National Court proceeding on June 18, 2014, and apply to have the State joined as a party in a proceeding (OS 115).
Pala and his lawyers will return to court on Aug 15 for police prosecution to make a response.
(Loop file picture of Pala and his lawyer Ralph Saulep outside the Waigani Committal Court in March.)