Prime Minister Charlot Salwai

The Daily Post reports the defendants will appear before court on 25 February.

Their names have not been revealed, but the defendants face charges relating to corruption and bribery, aiding and abetting, conflict of interest and perjury.

Prime Minister Charlot Salwai is reported by the Daily Post to be one of the defendants, facing a charge of perjury. 

The charges largely stem from a controversial move by the government to introduce parliamentary secretaries - paid government positions that the Supreme Court last year ruled 'void and of no effect.'

The Daily Post reports Ishmael Kalsakau saying the prime minister has no power to make the appointments, an argument he says was supported this month by the Court of Appeal.

Mr Kalsakau says it is likely a criminal case will be filed, considering the huge amount of money that was spent on the parliamentary secretary positions since they were created in 2016.

Earlier, the opposition had accused the government of using the appointment of parliamentary secretaries to prop up its majority support in parliament.

It was the sixth attempt by the opposition bloc, led by Ishmael Kalsakau, to remove the government since the 2016 election.

Mr Kalsakau failed to get the quorum needed to topple the government.

An election is due by January 2020.