The Supreme Court will make known its penalty this Thursday to Eastern Highlands Governor Julie Soso, who was found guilty of contempt on June 28.
Soso returned to court today with her lawyer and asked the court to give her a penalty fine of between K10,000-K15,000 for her actions. This was done during submission on what should be her appropriate penalty from the court.
She told the court, through her lawyer, that she was unaware of the Supreme Court order of Feb 15 which reinstated Tato before signing a letter for Tato to step down as provincial administrator the next day.
She apologised to the court and said her actions were unintentional.
Lawyer for the Provincial Administrator, Solomon Tato, also agreed that a fine penalty from the court is appropriate for Soso as a woman leader and also with other circumstances surrounding her.
The court was made known of circumstances of the recent passing of her husband and the fact that she is the sole breadwinner for her family.
This comes after a three-man Supreme Court bench, on June 28, found that the actions of Governor Soso in signing a letter dated Feb 16, 2016, was contemptuous.
The letter instructed Tato to step down as provincial administrator and later recommending the appointment of Alvin Inammoi as acting provincial administrator.
Soso's action was contemptuous as it breached the high court's order of Feb 15 reinstating Tato as the Provincial Administrator of Eastern Highlands.
(Caption: File picture of Soso outside the courthouse.)