A three-judge Supreme Court bench will give its decision next Tuesday (June 21) on whether it will stay the National Court’s decision, dismissing the judicial review filed by Member for North-Fly Boka Kondra.
Justices George Manuhu, Allen David and Hitelai Polume-Kiele will hand down their ruling next week after submissions were done in court yesterday.
An appeal that was filed by the Member was heard by the full court on Wednesday. In that appeal, Kondra is seeking to stay or temporary halt the National Court’s decision of March 1, which dismissed his judicial review.
Kondra is asking the High Court to stay that decision, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal. The appeal was filed on May 6.
The appeal also seeks to stay the decision of the Leadership Tribunal’s ruling on April 27, 2015 and May 29, 2015 respectively pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.
On April 27, 2015, Kondra was found guilty to six counts of misconduct in office.
He was found guilty of applying DSIP funds to pay for his office rental in Kiunga, to pay for his family accommodation in Port Moresby and settling a personal debt from the 2007, prior to his election into office.
The tribunal found all these payments were made from the district treasury account when the Member was already receiving allowance for accommodation and office rental.
On May 29, 2015, Tribunal members Justice Salatiel Lenalia and senior magistrates Ignatius Kurei and Rosie Johnston recommended the leader to be dismissed from office.
On July 14, 2015, a stay was granted at the National Court against the Ttribunal’s decision recommending Kondra’s dismissal from office. This stay was dismissed when the judicial review was thrown out on March 1.