Members of the legal fraternity, the soccer community and the PNG Judiciary today received the casket of the late Justice Catherine Davani at the Jackson’s International Airport’s ceremonial park.
Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika and other judges received her honour’s casket at 2pm after it arrived on board PX 004 from Brisbane, Australia.
The late judge’s husband, John Arthur Davani, was pushed out in a wheelchair, along with family members behind the casket, to a crowd of mourners before member of the PNG Defence Force carried her honour’s casket behind the Correctional Service pipe band.
Her body was taken to the funeral home where it will be kept.
A Supreme Court ceremonial sitting will take place next Monday, Nov 14, from 9am at Waigani, before the funeral at 11am at the St Joseph’s Catholic Church.
Justice Davani was the first female Papua New Guinean to be appointed a judge in March of 2001.
Born in Wau, Morobe Province, on June 3, 1960, the late judge was from Dorom village, Rigo district and Goilala district in the Central Province.
She is survived by her husband, John Arthur Davani, who is from Northern Province, and four sons and grandchildren.
She practiced as a lawyer since Nov 1984. She started her career with the Public Solicitors office from Nov 1984 to Jan 1987 before she went on a study break in Sydney, Australia, for two years.
From Jan 1989-July 1990, she worked with Namaliu and Co. Lawyers before she joined Gadens Ridgeway Lawyers in Jan 1991.
She made Senior Associate in Shepherds Lawyers in March 1994 before moving onto Blake Dawson Lawyers in Feb 2000, also as a senior associate.
The late Judge was also very passionate about sports, particularly soccer, and was a member of the PNG Sports Federation from 1993 to March 2001.
She was involved with soccer since 1979 when women’s soccer was first played at club level in Port Moresby. She represented PNG at three Oceania Football Confederation World Cup qualifiers, being captain of the PNG team at the 1994 and 1998 World Cup Qualifiers.
(Pictures by KENNEDY BANI)
