The PNG government has moved to suspend the country's Chief Magistrate, plunging the country's judicial system further into chaos.
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It comes as two Australian lawyers banned from entering Papua New Guinea prepare to have their appeal against their ban decided at PNG's National Court of Justice on Thursday.
The Australians, Queensland barrister Greg Egan and his junior counsel Terence Lambert, were last month banned from entering PNG, after preparing to represent authorities in a corruption case against Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
Chief Magistrate Nerrie Eliakim was the magistrate who last year issued an arrest warrant against Mr O'Neill for corruption charges, after an investigation by police and anti-corruption agency Taskforce Sweep. Mr O'Neill responded by sacking the country's Attorney-General and others.
On Wednesday, Attorney-General Ano Pala confirmed to PNG's Post Courier he had received a letter from Chief Secretary Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc the previous day, asking him to suspend Ms Eliakim for unnamed misconduct and incompetence allegations. He said the matter would now go through normal legal processes.
Ms Eliakim's office said it could not comment on the matter. When Mr O'Neill appointed Ms Eliakim Chief Magistrate in 2013, the first female chief magistrate in PNG, he hailed her appointment as a win for gender equality. At 39, she was also the youngest chief magistrate to have been appointed.
Last week, Fairfax revealed Mr Egan and Mr Lambert would fight their travel ban, arguing it is "a ploy" to further undermine the case against Mr O'Neill.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has refused to intervene, saying the case is "a private legal matter" between the men and the PNG government, and Australia "must respect PNG legal processes".
However a spokesperson for the department said the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby is continuing to make enquiries about the ban.
"We are seeking to find out the scope of the ban, any avenues of appeal and other possible next steps."
"We are also aware of reports that complaints about the Chief Magistrate have been referred to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. This is a matter for PNG to resolve in accordance with its domestic laws."
Australian and PNG legal bodies have raised concerns over the travel bans, saying they could be viewed as an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
Australian Bar Association vice-president Patrick O'Sullivan said: "Interfering with the impartial administration of justice will only serve to jeopardise the rule of law in Papua New Guinea [and] I urge the PNG government to see what is at stake."
