Parties involved in the Special Supreme Court reference in relation to the K3billion UBS loan that was referred for interpretation early last year have disagreed on certain documents that should be in the index books.
This is the special reference that was referred to the Supreme Court by Justice Catherine Davani on Jan 28, 2015 over certain constitutional questions surrounding the alleged improper borrowing of K3 billion loan from the Union Bank of Switzerland AG by the Government.
A total of 11 questions were referred to the Supreme Court for interpretation.
Lawyers for the Ombudsmen Commission, Former Chief Ombudsman Rigo Lua and former Acting Chief Ombudsman Phoebe Sangetari, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, and the Attorney General are in the process of compiling the index books that will be used during the hearing of the reference; however they have disagreed to certain documents that should be in the books.
They appeared before Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia today where he directed the Ombudsman Commission’s lawyer to file an application in relation to the settling of the index books which will assist the court.
Sir Salamo directed the Ombudsman Commission’s lawyer to file an application seeking leave of the full court to add the documents disputed by the parties.
This application has to be filed by Oct 27 before the matter before Sir Salamo for further directions on Oct 28. A hearing date for this matter is also expected to be set then.
On Jan 28,2015 National Court allowed O’Neill to obtain a reference under section 18(2) of the constitution for interpretation at the Supreme Court, while the National Court proceeding was stayed, pending the outcome of the Supreme Court reference.
The National Court last year also allowed Prime Minister O’Neill certain orders restraining the Ombudsman Commission from publishing a preliminary report of the alleged improper borrowing.
(Loop PNG Picture by Kenendy Bani.)