PM urges caution over court case claims

Prime Minister James Marape has issued a formal clarification in response to questions raised by the National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] regarding recent court proceedings that mentioned the conduct of certain political leaders.

Prime Minister Marape emphasized that the individuals named during the court deliberations were not principal parties to the case.

“I wish to make it clear that the individuals mentioned were not the primary complainants or defendants in this matter,” Prime Minister Marape said.

“Their names were raised through inferences made during the court’s deliberation based on evidence adduced, but they were not the principal offenders or parties directly involved.”

He explained that the references made in the court’s ruling were observations or commentaries rather than direct charges or legal findings against the individuals concerned.

“This is a matter of court inference and commentary, and as such, I do not believe it is appropriate at this point in time to take any specific position on the matter,” Marape said.

“The court has issued its findings, but we must be careful not to mischaracterise the nature of those findings or elevate them beyond their legal context.”

The Prime Minister urged the media and public to engage with the matter responsibly and with respect for the legal process, warning against politicising or misrepresenting judicial remarks.

“As a government that upholds the rule of law, we respect the independence of the judiciary. However, it is also important that we do not politicise or misrepresent what are essentially legal interpretations made in proceedings where these leaders were not directly on trial,” the PM added.

Prime Minister Marape concluded by reaffirming his government’s commitment to transparent and accountable governance, while calling for fairness and due process in how judicial matters are interpreted and addressed in public discourse.