Former Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki’s conviction appeal before the Supreme Court will remain pending due to the absence of Jema lawyers’ overseas counsels.
The matter returned to the Supreme Court for direction hearing on Monday (October 5) but could not proceed as the respondent’s lawyers Greg Egan and Terence Lambert were unavailable.
Director of the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate Matthew Damaru and his former deputy Timothy Gitua are the respondents in the matter.
Both are represented by Jema lawyers.
Vaki filed an appeal on his conviction on August 11 this year.
Both lawyers have been banned from entering the country since September 9 and have filed for judicial review regarding their ban.
Purvey gave consented orders before the court to have the appeal on Vaki’s conviction adjourned pending the hearing of a notice of motion that was filed on September 25 to review the ban.
The Supreme Court yesterday (October 5) directed that the appeal on Vaki’s conviction be adjourned pending the hearing of that notice of motion.
The review of the lawyers ban will be heard at the National Court next week.
Vaki was found guilty on June 17 by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia in a 27 page ruling for willfully refusing to execute a warrant of arrest against the Prime Minister Peter O'Neill last year.