An anti-corruption organization in the Solomon Islands has opposed the planned re-appointment of Julian Moti, an Australian lawyer who has been wanted by Australia for child sex charges, as the Pacific country's attorney-general.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio reported Monday that Transparency Solomon Islands is calling on Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to abandon his attempts to re-instate Moti as attorney general.

The organization claimed Moti's history of interfering in the country's political and legal systems rules him out as a suitable candidate.

Sogavare confirmed last week that he will re-appoint Moti as attorney-general, saying Australia has provided no evidence to prove allegations of child sex charges against Moti.

Meanwhile, a meeting between Australia and the Solomon Islands to discuss the extradition of Moti, which was scheduled at last weekend, has been deferred.

Moti was appointed as Solomons attorney-general on Sept. 21 last year and was arrested in Papua New Guinea (PNG) at the end of September at the request of the Australian government.

Moti later jumped bail and was flown to the Solomon Islands on a PNG military plane in early October.

He was banned from the position of attorney-general soon after he arrived in the Solomon Islands.

Moti's case is now the focus of the strained relations between the Solomons and Australia which is sparked by the expulsion of Australian high commissioner in September last year.

Canberra is not happy with the appointment of Moti, a personal friend of Sogavare and is seen to have an anti-Australian influence on the prime minister.

But Australia has denied its pursuit of Moti is politically motivated.

Source: Xinhua