​Review: This week in court

The week in review gives a run-down of what cases came before the courts or legal issues that were covered by Loop PNG.

While polling is ongoing and counting started in some areas around the country, it was business as usual for the courts.

On Thursday, a 25-year-old man from Tsak valley, Wapenamanda, Enga Province, appeared before the Waigani Committal Court after he was arrested for multiple voting.

Erik Pps was brought to court where his charges were read and explained to him after he was caught for voting three times on Friday, June 30.

He was caught at the Five-Mile Ridge polling booths in NCD around 2pm.

Read more on http://www.looppng.com/png-news/%E2%80%8Bman-arrested-pom-multiple-voting-62298

Apart from the election related offence, a senior public servant from the Southern Highlands Province was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Monday after he was convicted for murdering a former diplomat inside his office at the Department of Foreign Affairs, in 2014.

The Waigani National Court sentenced Billy Sapsi Pokea, of Sumia village, to 25 years after he was found guilty on May 11.

His conviction came after a trial was conducted by Justice Nicholas Kirriwom at Waigani.

Pokea was responsible for the brutal murder of the late Dennis Taylor Bebego on July 5, 2014.

The court ordered for his transfer to Mendi where he will serve time. He has been in custody since his arrest.

Full story and other related articles on http://www.looppng.com/png-news/%E2%80%8B25-years-former-diplomat%E2%80%99s-murderer-62116

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday allocated a hearing date for an application that was filed by Ati Wobiro, Norman May and Dr Modowa Gumoi.

The applicants are alleging a three-man Supreme Court bench made an error in their case and will be asking the court to re-open and review their appeal.

Their lawyer will seek leave of the court to hear their slip rule application on August 31. The application was filed on May 18.

Read full story on http://www.looppng.com/png-news/%E2%80%8Bwestern-trio-allege-court-made-error-62304

To the National Court, two accused who were on trial at the Waigani National Court for allegedly presenting fake cheques to a lodge in Port Moresby, pretending to be National Planning employees, were discharged by the court on Friday of the allegations.

Nelson Aila of Goimga village, Malalaua District, Gulf Province, and Simon Nokue stood trial on three counts of forgery and 14 counts of false pretense.

The trial was held with co-accused Murray Willie of Warakum in the Western Highlands Province.

On Thursday, their lawyer asked the court to discharge them through a no-case submission on basis the state did not produce enough evidence against them in the trial.

The court, upon consideration, agreed and allowed the charges and allegations against them to be discharged on Friday.

The trial however, will continue for Willie and another man, Samson Monty Manimba, who had earlier pleaded guilty to the allegations. His case will be heard at a later date.

More on http://www.looppng.com/png-news/two-cleared-lodge-fraud-case-62380

And three people were found guilty on Friday for misappropriating over K100,000 belonging to the National Library and Archives.

The former director of the National Library and Archives, Jacob Hevelawa, his wife Miriam Hevelawa, and the former corporate service manager of the National Library and Archives, Timothy Numara, were found guilty on Friday for conspiring to misappropriate K118,846.30 last year.

The three were arrested and charged in January 2016 with one count each of abuse of office, dishonestly applying K118,846.30 and conspiring to defraud the state of the said amount.

Read full story and on http://www.looppng.com/png-news/three-convicted-over-funds-misuse-62382

Author: 
Sally Pokiton