Chief Migration seeks to add new evidence in asylum case

A case filed at the Supreme Court involving detainees at the Regional Processing Centre in Manus and PNG Migration will return to court for hearing this Thursday.

The matter came for directions hearing today in Waigani where parties agreed to have counsel acting for Chief Migration Office, Mataio Rabura, move an application seeking leave of the court to introduce fresh evidence into the case.

Counsel representing the asylum seekers who are clients of Lomai Attorneys, Gregory Toop told Justice Terrence Higgins today the new evidence was filed out of time and leave must first be sought before Rabura can move his application. He is being represented by Kuman Lawyers.

Peter Kuman, who acts for the chief migration officer, agreed to deal with the leave application first before other applications filed by the detainees.

Principal applicant in the case, Benham Satah and some 600 others still held in Manus will be asking the court through their lawyers for summary judgment of the matter.

They will be relying on the case filed by Vanimo-Green MP Belden Namah, which found the setting up of the centre unconstitutional and illegal last month.

They are also seeking an enforcement claim for compensation of human rights breaches valued between K1.8m to K2m from the Commonwealth, who is responsible for all the costs associated with offshore processing.

(Caption: Arial view of the Regional Processing Centre in Lombrum, Manus.) 

Author: 
Sally Pokiton