Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua says he will attend the hearing of allegations against him for a traffic offense at the Magistrates Court in Honiara on October 21.

He says he will attend the court hearing to show his respect for the legal and judicial systems in Solomon Islands.

But Prime Minister Sikua says before the hearing he must clarify one or two points that have been reported in the media.

Firstly, he said that the alleged incident happened on February 6, 2006 when "I was a private citizen and not as a Permanent Secretary as had been claimed."

Prime Minister Sikua said secondly, that at no time did he refuse to attend the court, adding that he did appear two times for mention and one time when the Prosecution submitted its case against him, therefore it was wrong to allege that he had refused to attend the court hearings.

He says he did not attend one hearing upon receiving legal advice from his lawyer who said that he would represent him at the magistrate court chambers.


National Express