Justice Salatiel Lenalia

 A sad day indeed for the judiciary and members of the legal fraternity are deeply saddened at the untimely passing of the judge who was serving his second 10-year term as a National and Supreme Court judge.

Chief Justice, Sir Salamo Injia has released an official statement regarding the death, extending the judiciary’s condolence to his wife, Sandy Lenalia, children and relatives.

The late judge passed on today at 1:30am from the Pacific International Hospital after suffering from a heart attack. He was medevac to Port Moresby on Saturday.

Identities of the man and the victims are being omitted from this article due to the age of the victims and the nature of the crime.

The man pleaded guilty before Justice Salatiel Lenalia at the Kokopo National Court and was sentenced to 39 years for two counts of persistent sexual abuse.

He was sentenced to 19 years and 20 years respectively for both counts on June 21.

The court suspended 9 years from his total sentence of 39 years, leaving him to serve 30 years at the Kerevat jail.