Prominent barrister and solicitor Norman George has rejected assertions made by columnist Ruta Mave in Monday’s Cook Islands News as “fake, insulting and silly”.

Mave’s column focused on a controversial court case that took place recently.

George said he had acted entirely on the instructions of his client to plead not guilty and elect trial by judge and jury.

“There is absolutely no such thing on my part as composing a catch cry to treat the complainant as guilty until proven innocent,” he said.

“The only one on trial was the defendant.” 

George claimed Mave had “invented” a line about him allegedly declaring there would be a fight, and not a trial, in court.  

“She added that I did not want justice, fairness and the truth. In doing so, I believe she crossed the red line of defamation. 

“Mave should know that defence lawyers have important roles to play,” George said.

“To describe defence lawyers as ‘crossing to the dark side’, is sickening and unbecoming of a credible journalist.  

“Does Mave know all judges, including our Chief Justice, are all former defence lawyers? They must have been good to be appointed QCs and outstanding judges.”

Editor’s note: Ruth Mave is a columnist whose opinions are her own and not those of the newspaper, Cook Islands News allows uncensored opinion, as we do with cartoons, in the interest of freedom of expression.