A Papua New Guinean man charged with the murder of asylum seeker Reza Barati has been granted bail in Papua New Guinea.

Joshua Kaluria was charged over the death of the 23-year-old Iranian man inside the Australian-run asylum seeker detention centre on Manus Island in February 2014.

Manus Island MP Ron Knight confirmed a local court had released Kaluria into the community.

Refugees in the transit centre on Manus Island have claimed Kaluria has made contact with them and threatened to go after eyewitnesses who gave statements to police. Two asylum seekers, who witnessed the bashing of Barati, have been granted refugee status but are refusing to leave the detention centre because they fear for their lives.

Knight said if anyone had complaints about Kaluria’s conduct they should call the police and his bail could be revoked.

“People can be so stupid and do things like that,” he said. “But I don’t believe he should be doing that, I don’t believe he did but if he has done that ... there should be an official complaint.”

Kaluria led police on a five-month chase from Manus Island to the country’s mainland and finally over the sea to Kimbe, the capital of West New Britain province before his arrest in August last year.



Another man Louie Efi has also been charged over Mr Barati’s death and police are still looking for three more suspects – a PNG man and two others believed to be from Australia or New Zealand.



Comment has been sought from Peter Dutton, the Australian immigration minister.