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Solomon Islands deports Julian Moti to Australia

The Solomon Islands government deported its former attorney general yesterday to Australia where he is wanted on child sex charges, part of the days-old administration's attempts to mend fences with Canberra.

Julian Moti, an Australian national who was sacked earlier this week from his post, was put on a Solomon Airlines flight to the eastern Australian city of Brisbane by Solomons officials and police.

Immigration Department Deputy Director Billy Gasporo said he had signed a deportation order for the Australian.

Gasporo said police were obstructed at Moti's residence in the capital Honiara by protesters trying to prevent Moti from being deported. Police broke through the protest line, he said.

The extradition came a week after former education minister Derek Sikua was elected prime minister. Sikua immediately moved to repair ties with regional powers that became strained under his ousted predecessor.

Moti is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in Vanuatu in 1997 -- a crime he was acquitted of by a jury in the South Pacific nation.

Under Australia's anti-pedophile laws, its citizens can be tried for crimes committed overseas. Australian law does not recognize the Vanuatu court's decision on the Moti sex charges and has demanded that he be sent to Australia to face justice.

Moti also made an unsuccessful last-minute legal bid to halt his deportation pending an appeal court hearing in February against his High Court-sanctioned deportation.

He was sacked as attorney general after the High Court last week ruled that he held no special legal status as attorney general and was therefore not immune from extradition.

Moti was appointed to the post by his close friend, recently ousted prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, last year.
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