Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape says infection rates of Covid-19 on the island are staggering. Photo: AFP
The Papua New Guinea prime minister, James Marape, has gone on the offensive after what he calls slanderous remarks about the chief justice appeared on social media.
He warned people to be very careful about commenting on the judiciary.
Mr Marape was responding to comments made by social media commentator Samson Komati, who had made claims of impropriety and corruption around the recent visit of chief justice Gibbs Salika to see the prime minister.
The prime minister said meetings with the chief justice are a constitutional requirement for both office holders, and their recent meeting was necessary for the Chief Justice to submit the Judiciary's 2024 budget as required by law.
Mr Marape said he condemins in the "highest degree these slanderous remarks made by Samson Komati, who should know better than to lay a word against the Judiciary."
"The Judiciary is the arm of government that must always remain above board to maintain its standards, ethics and stability. Criticize the government and politicians within it but do not drag the Judiciary into your petty, gutter politics."
James Marape said Mr Komati has gone too far and could be held in contempt of court.
"His slandering of the Chief Justice and therefore the Judiciary based on his wild assumptions and imaginations - with no shred of evidence of wrongdoing just because he wants to get at me - is totally irresponsible, slanderous and malicious.
"I condemn this in the strongest terms, and apologise to the Chief Justice for the way gutter politics has dragged him and the Judiciary into this."