Court

Sir Michael in a statement apologized to the people of East Sepik and the country as a whole for the shame and embarrassment caused by a report in Singapore.

The Grand Chief said he will be seeking legal advice on the matter in few days’ time.

“I wish to make this address to the nation of Papua New Guinea in response to recent reports from Singapore.

“A court case has found two persons in Singapore guilty of money laundering offences and subsequently names me as a recipient of some funds.

A ruling is expected to be made today, Monday, Aug 29 at the Bomana court house after it was adjourned from last week. 

Arrested on January 5 this year and charged for the willful murder of his wife, 38 year old Aki is from Tambul in the Western Highlands province. 

He first appeared in court on January 7 and has been detained at Bomana since. 

It is alleged he assaulted his wife at the Kone Tigers oval in the view of onlookers following an argument on December 26, around 3pm last year. 

He made the statements today after the Committal Court formally dismissed his case on three counts involving allegations that he tried to pervert the course of justice when he consented to a stay application to stop the arrest of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for official corruption on June 17, 2014.

He said police must improve the Criminal procedures pertaining to Warrants of Arrest so that ordinary citizens can be fairly treated under the Law.

Western Governor Ati Wobiro was found guilty of conspiring with two others to misappropriate funds by the National Court on Tuesday while Eastern Highlands Governor Julie Soso was given a penalty fine of K15,000 for disobeying orders of the Supreme Court on Thursday.

Soso indicated she will pay that fine by Friday while Wobiro remains detained at Bomana awaiting a bail application that is expected to be heard next Monday (Aug 1).

Prime Minister’s lawyer, Tiffany Twivey-Nonggorr clarified this afternoon that they have not and will not be filing any proceeding to stop the Vote of No Confidence taking place.

Her comments came after a rumoured post was made on social media, Facebook claiming that the Prime Minister’s legal team made submissions in court today seeking a court order to stop the vote taking place.

“I can assure you I have been sitting in my office all day doing admin paperwork. People are trying to create rumours,speculation and chaos.

He returned to the Waigani Committal Court this morning for mention with his lawyer after the court gave directions on July 6 to Fraud investigators from the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate to serve their completed investigation files on him that same day.

His lawyer told the court they have received the files and asked for a two week adjournment to peruse them and prepare submissions in response to the allegations by police.   

Mangos is expected back in court on July 26. His bail of K5,000 is extended till then.

An order was also made to the clerk of parliament to place the notice of motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister as the first item of business of parliament on the first day of sitting.

In a unanimous decision, Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika and Justice Collin Makail granted a declaration that the motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister complied with technical requirements of section 145 of the Constitution and Standing Orders 22 and 130.

The matter was listed for the court to give its ruling on the verdict of the three; however that was adjourned to July 22. The trial was held in Daru in April this year.    

Governor Wobiro, Dr Gumoi and May are facing identical charges of misappropriating funds totaling K7.9 million, charges that arose from counts of abuse of office, conspiracy to defraud and misappropriation of public funds.

On May 25, parties presented submissions on what should be the verdict of the trial.

Police Prosecutions served copies of the investigation files or hand-up briefs to Samuel Turi, Arnold Zilong, Tuom Tutuk, Ronald Nelson, Carl Inoumba and Jeremiah Buigen when they all returned to court on Wednesday with their lawyer, Frederick Lunge, at the Waigani Committal Court.

Their lawyer sought an adjournment to peruse those files and prepare submissions. This was allowed by the court as the files were bulky. They will return to court on July 28.

The matter came before Justice David Cannings this afternoon who refused to hear the application as respondents in the application were not served the notice of motion.

This is a fresh proceeding and the motion was filed on June 17. 

Justice Cannings described the ‘non-service’ on the part of the lawyer representing the students as an ‘ambush’ on the respondents.

UPNG Registrar Jennifer Popat is the first respondent, the UPNG Senate is the second respondent while the state is the third respondent.