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Journalism of Courage
Australia’s prime minister denied an explosive allegation on Wednesday that his government offered a bounty for the murder of his Solomon Islands’ counterpart.
An Australian, Bill Johnson, appeared in a Solomon Islands court on Tuesday, charged with conspiring to murder Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who is at the center of a diplomatic rift between his impoverished South Pacific island nation and Australia.
On Wednesday, the national newspaper The Australian published an extract from a police charge sheet that alleged Johnson, 60, told two senior Solomon Islands police officers he planned to murder Sogavare “for a reward bounty payment” of $39,000 “sponsored by Australia.”
Australian Prime Minister John Howard told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday he knew little about the case other than what details had been revealed in media reports.
“Did we try and get anybody to assassinate the prime minister of the Solomon Islands? Of course not,” Howard said.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also denied the government had any involvement, and urged the Solomon Islands’ judiciary to fairly examine the allegations.
“It is preposterous to suggest that the Australian government had any involvement in this alleged assassination attempt,” a statement from the department said. “We would expect that these allegations would be rigorously and fairly examined, that innuendo would be dismissed and the facts would be established.”
Australia has led an international military and police force in the Solomon Islands since 2003. But last year, Australia threatened to cut US$168 million in aid, unless Sogavare’s government tackles corruption and improves its performance.
