Lawyers representing Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Secretary, Fr Jan Czuba, have raised concern regarding an article published by local newspaper regarding allegations against the former, Post Courier reports.
A lawyer with Kamen Lawyers, representing Czuba, said the matter was before the courts and the publication is seen as highly defamatory. His lawyer said they would give the newspaper the option to retract the publication and apologize or face legal action.
We will be requesting the publishers, to retract the publication, we will give the opportunity to withdraw or retract what they have published.
After we make that request, we will give them time to respond, and if they fail to do so, we will look at other options in terms of suing the paper.
Kamen Lawyers representative
The newspaper publication is in relation to allegations against Czuba for which he was charged with one count of official corruption nine counts of abuse of office by the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate (NFACD) in December 2020.
According to RZN, it is alleged that Czuba engaged a Polish company without going through the proper procurement process and he is also accused of engaging his business partners on the expense of the department.
In January this year, the Waigani Committal Court struck out the graft case against Czuba for being defective. The Post Courier reports that Magistrate Seth Tanei struck out the charge after police informant, Timothy Gitua; an officer attached to the NFACD, failed to provide information on how the accused committed official corruption.