Former AG Kua gives evidence in court

Kerenga Kua and Opposition members walking out of the court house. (Image: NBC News)

Former Attorney General Kerenga Kua told court that he had known about the illegal arrangement under the Paraka scandal but he did not have enough evidence to report the matter to police at that time.

He made this statement while appearing as a witness before Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika to testify in the trial of Jacob Yafai, a former deputy secretary of the Department of Finance.

Yafai is in court for allegedly facilitating illegal payments of K41 million to the Paraka Lawfirm in 2012.

Sinesine Yongomul MP in his testimony recalled the immense pressure exerted on the Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG) from the Finance Department to facilitate these payments.

He recalled that the issue was first mentioned to him by the late DJAG Secretary Dr Lawrence Kalino who found the legal bills from Paraka Lawyers as questionable and needed clearance .

Kua told court that normally any judgment debt or legal bills from law firms had to be cleared by the Department of Justice and Attorney General,

However, in this legal bill, the alleged payments was said to have not followed the due process established in the legal system and the secrecy surrounding the transactions was highly questionable.

Justice Salika questioned Kua on why he and other senior ministers did not have the courage to put in a formal complaint to police and the Solicitor General Neville Devete did that and paid a huge price for it.

Kua responded by stating that by 2013, no one in authority, including ministers and other politicians, had the bravery to come forward about the issue.

Outside the court, Kerenga Kua who was flanked by the opposition leader, Douglas Toumouresia and North Fly MP James Donald told media that he was satisfied with his appearance to assist the court find out about the Truth behind the payments.

Meanwhile Kerenga Kua is among the final witnesses in the trial of Jacob Yafai.

The defence case will proced over the next few days, followed by final submissions from both sides to close the trial. A decision on verdict will follow soon after.