The Supreme Court has this morning quashed all criminal proceedings against Attorney General and Justice Minister, Ano Pala.
The court upheld his appeal, and declared that the warrant for his arrest in 2014 is null and void.
Pala was arrested and charged for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
The police arrested and charged the Attorney General on June 17, 2014, and accused him of conspiring with the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to pervert the course of Justice, by filing the taxation proceeding.
However, the court said the proceeding was filed before Pala became Minister for Justice and Attorney General.
The Supreme Court ruled that to file any proceeding at the National Court, it is not a criminal act.
The court ordered that the warrant of arrest be void, and that it is of no effect.
All other charges that arose from the first charge and are before the Committal Court were quashed by the Supreme Court.
The Attorney General welcomed the decision but cautioned police to apply their power with care and diligence.
He called on the Police Commissioner to reinstall discipline and return the force to what it used to be.
His statement was read by his legal representative, Ralph Saulep. The court’s decision was also welcomed by the lawyers and people who were named in his warrant of arrest.
