Lawyers representing Koroba-Lake Kopiago MP, Philip Undialu, are arranging person service of court documents on Francis Potape who was purportedly elected Hela Governor on Sept 13.
This comes after the National Court last Friday adjourned the matter to this Friday, Sept 30.
Parties appeared before Justice Collin Makail last Friday, who adjourned the matter to give Undialu’s lawyers more time to serve court documents to Potape and two others.
Substantively, Undialu’s application seeks to nullify Potape’s election as illegal.
Loop PNG confirmed with Undialu’s lawyer, Justin Wohuinangu, that personal service of court documents, including his application against Potape, Deputy Governor Thomas Potape and Deputy Provincial Assembly Clerk, Filbert Tuya, is being arranged.
They are expected to be served the documents either later today or early Tuesday morning.
On Sept 19, Undialu filed an amended motion before the Waigani National Court seeking restraining orders against Francis Potape.
The motion seeks, amongst other things, an order restraining Potape from performing the functions and duties as Governor for Hela Province.
Clerk of the Hela Provincial Assembly, Watson Ebela, is listed as the second applicant in the motion.
On Sept 13, the Hela Provincial Assembly met in Tari where nine out of the 13 members unanimously elected Komo-Margarima MP, Francis Potape, as the new Governor.
This took place after the National Court on Sept 6 ordered all parties to return to the Provincial Assembly and elect a Governor.
Those absent during the meeting were Undialu, Tari-Pori MP James Marape, a female Church representative and the Awi Pori Lagayu LLG president.
Assembly clerk Ebela, who was supposed to take minutes of the meeting, was absent, which saw the Deputy Assembly clerk step in to take minutes.
(Pictured is Koroba-Lake Kopiago MP, Philip Undialu and Komo-Margarima MP, Francis Potape outside the court precinct on Sept 6.)