The chair of the Papua New Guinea anti-corruption unit Taskforce Sweep, Sam Koim, has applied for the National Court to dismiss a government attempt to have him charged with contempt.
PNG PM Peter O'Neill Photo: PNG Prime Ministers Office
The Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, filed the motion last month, asking Mr Koim to explain to the court why he should not be charged for allegedly breaching court orders by taking out an advertisement in a newspaper.
But the newspaper, The National, reports that Mr Koim's lawyers have asked the court to dismiss the motion for Mr Koim to show cause, and also withdraw summons for two people to produce documents to the court.
The two are lawyer Bill Frizzel, and The National's editor-in-chief, Pama Anio.
His lawyer, Greg Egan, says Mr O'Neill's motion is inaccurate, erroneous and extraordinary, and that it should be dismissed for being an abuse of process.
Sam Koim and Task Force Sweep have been at loggerheads with the Prime Minister since its failed attempt in 2014 to arrest for Mr O'Neill on allegations of illegal payments from the government to a law firm.