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PORT MORESBY - The lawyer acting for a 60-year-old Australian man charged with conspiring to assassinate Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says the allegations stem from nothing more than "drunken conversation".
Bill Johnson, a Vietnam war veteran and longtime Solomons resident, was yesterday charged in the Honiara Magistrates Court with conspiring with four other people to kill Sogavare between January 18 and 23.
It has been reported that Johnson entered the plot for a A$50,000 ($56,676) bounty sponsored by Australia.
Johnson's lawyer Patrick Lavery told ABC Radio the prosecution's evidence amounted to nothing more than "drunken conversation".
Johnson is married to a Solomon Islander and is known at Honiara's yacht club to enjoy his drinking.
He was remanded in custody until next week when the court will hear a bail application.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is providing consular assistance and diabetes medication for Johnson and said it expected Solomons authorities to ensure his safety and security.
The Australian newspaper today reported that Johnson had entered into the assassination plot for a A$50,000 bounty allegedly "sponsored by Australia".
A Solomons government statement last night said police were still hunting for four alleged co-conspirators of Johnson.
Johnson's arrest comes as Sogavare pushes for the re-arming of Solomons police, starting with his close personal protection officers, against the wishes of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (Ramsi).
The prime minister has been embroiled in a series of diplomatic spats with Canberra since his election last May and will almost certainly use the alleged assassination plot as an argument to support his case to re-arm police.
Ramsi head Tim George said this month the mission had no evidence Solomon Islanders wanted their police re-armed.
With the help of Ramsi, the Solomons is recovering from years of ethnic tension and violence involving armed militias and criminal gangs, with many police officers also embroiled in the unrest.
- AAP
