Lawyer Ben Lomai

State rejects asylum seekers’ claim notice

Lawyer for the asylum seekers and refugees in Manus, Ben Lomai, told the court this week that the PNG Immigration refused the section 5 notice which was served to them prior to the appeal being filed on Nov 4.

The fresh application is seeking enforcement orders from the Supreme Court decision on April 26, from the case filed by then Opposition Leader Belden Namah.

Asylum seekers case set for trial

This is in response to another application that was filed by the detainees’ lawyer, Ben Lomai.

Lomai filed another application on Sept 30, after the hearing date of two applications filed earlier was set for Oct 27.

Parties in the case appeared before the Supreme Court on Monday afternoon where directions were issued.

The Deputy Court Registrar will confirm the application books before the hearing on the morning of Oct 27.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench will hear the three applications.

‘Residents’ in Manus seek summary judgment

Following the court’s decision on Monday to discharge the inquiry conducted by the Chief Justice, the transferees in Manus, who are now called residents, will proceed their case with the two separate enforcement applications they filed earlier.

The residents’ lawyer, Ben Lomai, will now continue their case in court with the two Supreme Court Enforcement Applications; SCAPP No. 04 of 2015 filed Behnam Satah & 301 others and SCAPP No. 03 of 2016, filed by Mohammad Nure Alam & 287 others against the state.

Five refugees for resettlement ‘test cases’

Lawyer Ben Lomai, who is representing over 600 residents at the processing centre, will be assisting the Supreme Court to identify five of his clients to undergo the resettlement test case.

The request came from Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia on Monday when receiving an update of the progress on processing on the island from Laias Kandi, the lawyer representing Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato and the Chief Migration officer Mataio Rabura.