The Solomon Islands Former attorney-general Julian Moti is likely stand trial on child sex charges next year
Commonwealth prosecutor Glen Rice SC, last Friday presented a fresh indictment in the Supreme Court in Brisbane charging the 44-year-old with seven counts of engaging in sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16.The charges related to the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl in Noumea and Vanuatu in 1997.
Moti was first arrested and charged with the alleged offences at Brisbane International Airport in December 2007.
The charges were thrown out in December 2009, but the case was recently revived with a Queensland Court of Appeal ruling that the stay was made in error.
However, an administrative oversight meant there was no longer an indictment before the court, and Moti had to be charged anew for the trial to proceed.
Moti appeared in court on Friday to request that his bail be extended.
The request was granted, and his surety reduced from $100,000 to $20,000.
Other conditions of his bail include that he reside in Sydney, report weekly to police, and surrender his passport.
During the review Mr Rice told the court it was likely the trial, which will probably be heard in the first half of next year, will run for four weeks.