A Papua New Guinea minister has been charged with assault in Australia.
According to police, a woman was attacked in Sydney by a man she knew.
According to court documents, Jimmy Maladina, the powerful minister of petroleum for Papua New Guinea, has been charged with assault after a purported "domestic dispute" in Australia.
According to police, on Saturday morning local time, a 58-year-old male who knew the 31-year-old woman was accused of attacking her in Sydney.
Conditional bail was granted to Mr. Maladina in advance of his July 11 court appearance.
He added in a statement that he was "cooperating with authorities to address this matter" and that he was "aware of the recent media reports".
"I understand the gravity of this situation and the concerns it raises," added Maladina.
I have high expectations for myself as a public servant, both personally and professionally.
I want to be very clear that any type of violence is not acceptable, and I promise to handle this with honesty and transparency."
The woman who was reportedly attacked has face injuries, according to the police.
Mr. Maladina is a significant advisor to President James Marape and was appointed as Papua New Guinea's minister of petroleum earlier this year.
He has a significant role in the profitable initiative to commercialize the nation's natural gas reserves.
