PORT VILA (Radio NZ International/Pacific Media Watch): The publisher of Vanuatu’s Daily Post newspaper says he is looking at appealing against the sentence given to a government minister for the assault on him in March.
The Minister of Public Utilities and Infrastructure, Harry Iauko, was fined US$150 for his role in the assault at the Daily Post office in Port Vila.
The Magistrates Court sentenced the eight supporters of Iauko involved in the assault on Marc Neil-Jones with fines ranging up to nearly US1000.
Neil-Jones says he is unhappy at the fine given to the minister who he believes was responsible for organising the attack.
The publisher says he is seeking legal advice.
“Is aiding and abetting an assault and aiding and abetting damage to office property a criminal offence? If it is and he has pleaded guilty, where does that leave things? Can he stand in elections? I think it’s just going to be classified as a misdemeanour, because it was a fine, it wasn’t a jail sentence.”
- Marc Neil-Jones
Pacific Media Watch
