The Papua New Guinea police commissioner Gari Baki has hit back Opposition demands that he stand down for not arresting the Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
This comes after the dismissal last week of a challenge by Mr O'Neill to a 2014 arrest warrant over alleged illegal state payments to a law firm.
Mr Baki said he welcomed the decision of the court, but pointed out there is now a further stay on the warrant which is preventing police action.
PNG Police Commissioner, Gary Baki. Photo: EMTV
He said regardless of the allegations and the warrant, Mr O'Neill must be accorded the presumption of innocence and treated with respect.
The Post Courier reported the police commissioner still intends to invite the prime minister for an interview, which Mr Baki said will end the warrant.
But he said he had only received the executive summary of the case brought by the anti-corruption police chief, Mathew Damaru.
Yesterday, Mr O'Neill's latest appeal against the warrant returned to the Supreme Court, which adjourned the matter until August 21.