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PORT MORESBY - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has threatened to take Australia to the International Court of Justice over its legal pursuit of Attorney-General Julian Moti.
Moti is wanted in Australia to face rape charges involving a 13-year-old girl in Vanuatu in 1997, which he said were dismissed by a court there.
Sogavare said Australian authorities' moves were politically motivated. He said Moti was arrested and detained in Papua New Guinea illegally at the request of Australian authorities in October last year.
Moti skipped bail and hid out at the Solomons High Commission in Port Moresby before being flown to the Solomons on a PNG military flight on October 10.
Moti had charges of illegal entry against him dropped.
Somare has consistently denied sanctioning Moti's escape flight, but a PNG Defence Force board of inquiry into the flight found Somare gave the orders and should be charged for breaking PNG laws.
Somare has refused to release the board's report and has taken legal action to have it declared null and void.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has called for the report to be released.
- AAP
