Boka Kondra

Court: Kondra’s appeal cannot be reopened

The Supreme Court on November 30, 2016, dismissed Kondra’s appeal because it found that the trial judge in the National Court, and the Leadership Tribunal members, made no errors in reaching their respective decisions.

Kondra and his lawyer Philip Ame filed a Slip rule application alleging the Supreme Court slipped or fell into error in the Appeal and asked the court to grant leave to revisit the appeal.

Kondra asks court to revisit appeal

He sought leave of the court on Tuesday before Justice Frazer Pitpit and the court reserved its decision to Wednesday.

Kondra’s lawyer, Philip Ame’s argument in court was mainly on the punishment recommendation that the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Salatiel Lenalia made during the Tribunal hearing in 2015.

He said the Tribunal flawed by making separate decisions on the recommended penalty.

On April 27, 2015, the Leadership Tribunal found Kondra guilty to six counts of misconduct in office.

Court Year in review- Leadership Tribunals

Vanimo-Green MP, Belden Namah was the only elected leader who went before an appointed tribunal, chaired by Justice Goodwin Poole (now retired), Senior Magistrate Mark Selefkariu and Ernest Wilmot.

This matter has since been stayed after he succeeded in convincing the National Court to permanently restrain appointed members of the Tribunal from further reconvening.

Namah first appeared before the Tribunal on Oct 23, 2015 to answer to 10 allegations of misconduct in office.

Supreme Court dismisses Kondra’s appeal

This comes after a three-man Supreme Court bench handed down its unanimous decision today to dismiss Kondra’s appeal because it found that the trial judge in the National Court, and the Leadership Tribunal members, made no errors in reaching their respective decisions.

Justices Nicholas Kirriwom, Don Sawong and Frazer Pitpit, in a unanimous decision, agreed with the penalty recommended by the tribunal to have Kondra dismissed from office.

South Fly MP Kondra asks Court to stay decision

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.

Kondra asks Higher Court to stay dismissal

Kondra’s lawyers filed an application seeking to stay the National Court’s decision of March 1 which dismissed his judicial review.

The matter came before the Chief Justice, Sir Salamo Injia today where a hearing date was set.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench will hear the application on June 15.

On March 1, the National Court upheld the decision of the Leadership tribunal recommending Kondra to be dismissed from office.

Justice Collin Makail dismissed Kondra’s judicial review and also ordered him to pay costs for the proceeding.

Minister under legal cloud seeks judicial review

Kondra was recommended for dismissal from office by members of the Leadership Tribunal in May.

The recommendation came after the tribunal unanimously found him guilty of six counts of misconduct in office on April 27 for misapplying K85,276.

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, before his election into office.