A woman won back her freedom this week from the Supreme Court after spending eight months incarceration at the Bomana Correction institute.
After a successful appeal, 42-year-old Taita Prichard from Bereina, Central province who is a naturalized Australian citizen was freed on Thursday.
A three-man Supreme Court bench acquitted her after it upheld her appeal, setting aside her conviction and sentence of 30 years with hard labor.
She was sentenced on Feb 12 this year after the Waigani National Court convicted her on Nov 11, 2015 for planning and using her cousin to murder her former lover, British man John Hulse in 2011 at Napanapa outside Port Moresby.
Her counsin, 35-year-old James Paru however remains in prison for his troubles at Napanapa.
Also at the Suprme Court this week, Koroba-Lake Kopiago MP, Philip Undialu has withdrawn his Supreme Court appeal that was filed against the National Court’s decision of Sept 6.
Undialu filed the Supreme Court appeal challenging the order of the lower court that told parties to go back to the Hela Provincial Assembly meet and vote a new governor. The meeting took place on Sept 13 which saw Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape elected Govenor.
Undialu’s lawyer Goiye Gileng, informed the Waigani National Court on Monday that they will proceed with the National Court case instead of the appeal in the Supreme Court.
With the Supreme Court appeal withdrawn and out of the way, his lawyers will now concentrate on the National Court proceeding.
Meanwhile a man from the Lake Kopiago area of Hela province will stand trial at the Waignai National Court after sufficient evidence was found he caused serious injuries to his uncle’s testicles during a fight.
Thomas Warepa was committed by the Waigani District Court on Friday by Magistrate Cosmas Bidar to answer to the charge of causing grievous bodily harm to Kelo Kewaki, his own uncle at Erima on June 24.
The ruling was done on Friday after he told the court he had difficulty engaging a lawyer to defend him or write a statement in court to respond to the police investigation files.
He will next appear at the Waigani National Court for listing on Oct 24.
And finally, police are still investigating the rape of a young medical officer in Port Moresby, three months on after the incident.
Douglas Joseph Anau and Wesley Joe Bomai were arrested in July and charged with rape and breaking and entering the home of the young female doctor on the first weekend of July at 4-mile.
They appeared before Magistrate Cosmas Bidar where the court was told that police were still investigating the incident. A Hand-up brief is expected to be compiled soon in the case.
They remain remanded at Bomana in the meantime.