Palau News: Former VP Mariur Arraignment for Misconduct, etc.
Former VP pleads not guilty
WRITTEN BY JOSE RODRIGUEZ T. SENASE
MONDAY, 17 AUGUST 2015 23:06
Former Vice President Kerai Mariur has pled “Not Guilty” to the charges against him. Mariur, accompanied by his lawyer Oldiais Ngiraikelau, made the plea during first appearance hearing before Supreme Court Associate Justice Ashby Pate on July 23, 2015.
Mariur, who was Vice President from 2008 to 2012, was earlier charged with one count of Possession or Removal of Government Property, one count of Violation of Code of Ethics (Use of Government Property), and one count of Misconduct in Public Office.
The charges were filed by Interim Special Prosecutor Robert Charles Lee.
The filing of the charges against Mariur stemmed from allegations that the former Vice President used a fuel tank from the “Dil Belau” boat for a septic tank at his house in Ngarchelong State.
But the filing of the charges has been criticized by some people, including a prominent lawyer calling the charges “frivolous”. Former Senator Joshua Koshiba has also said that the case against Mariur is part of a pattern of “selective prosecutions” being done by the Interim Special Prosecutor.
ISP Lee has denied that he is doing “selective prosecutions” of officials connected with the former Administration.
http://islandtimes.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1607%3Aformer-vp-pleads-not-guilty&Itemid=1
WRITTEN BY JOSE RODRIGUEZ T. SENASE
MONDAY, 17 AUGUST 2015 23:06
Former Vice President Kerai Mariur has pled “Not Guilty” to the charges against him. Mariur, accompanied by his lawyer Oldiais Ngiraikelau, made the plea during first appearance hearing before Supreme Court Associate Justice Ashby Pate on July 23, 2015.
Mariur, who was Vice President from 2008 to 2012, was earlier charged with one count of Possession or Removal of Government Property, one count of Violation of Code of Ethics (Use of Government Property), and one count of Misconduct in Public Office.
The charges were filed by Interim Special Prosecutor Robert Charles Lee.
The filing of the charges against Mariur stemmed from allegations that the former Vice President used a fuel tank from the “Dil Belau” boat for a septic tank at his house in Ngarchelong State.
But the filing of the charges has been criticized by some people, including a prominent lawyer calling the charges “frivolous”. Former Senator Joshua Koshiba has also said that the case against Mariur is part of a pattern of “selective prosecutions” being done by the Interim Special Prosecutor.
ISP Lee has denied that he is doing “selective prosecutions” of officials connected with the former Administration.
http://islandtimes.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1607%3Aformer-vp-pleads-not-guilty&Itemid=1