Norman May

The three filed separate applications that will be asking the court to reopen their appeal and revisit it, alleging a slip, or error, was made by a three-man Supreme Court bench on April 27.

The slip rule application was filed after the Supreme Court, on April 17, dismissed their appeal against conviction and sentence.

The case came for directions on Friday, where their lawyer indicated they were ready for the hearing.

The three filed a slip rule application on May 18, asking the Supreme Court to reopen their appeal and revisit it, alleging an error or slip was made by the three-man Supreme Court when it dismissed their appeals against conviction and sentence.

Their lawyers will seek leave of the court to move the application on Thursday, August 31.

This direction was issued by Justice Stephen Kassman today at the Supreme Court direction hearing.

Lawyers representing Wobiro, May and Dr Gumoi filed the application against the majority decision of the Supreme Court on April 27.

It was an anxious wait for Wobiro, Dr Modowa Gumoi,  Norman May and their families who turned up in numbers to the Waigani National Court precinct.

On standby at the airport was a chartered jet that would fly him to Kiunga, if the court had ruled in his favour.

The decision of the three-man Supreme Court bench however went against them.  The bench by majority dismissed his appeal against conviction and sentence.

The matter is fixed for hearing on Thursday, February 23.

Leave was granted or allowed to the trio by the Supreme Court on Dec 14, 2016 after the court was satisfied on their grounds of appeal.

One of their grounds of appeal is that that they were found guilty of misappropriating K350,000 and an additional K24,000 and not K7,060,000- the amount to which they were sentenced to 10 years in jail for.

The three were convicted on July 26,2016 by the National Court for conspiring to defraud the state and misappropriating monies amounting to K7 million.

Justice Stephen Kassman said there are dates available in February however, that will depend on how fast lawyers file their submissions in court.  

He made these remarks on Friday when the matter went for directions hearing before him. The case will return for mention at 1.30pm today.

The Supreme Court will be dealing with nine sets of appeals in total, two appeals from each applicant against the National Court’s finding of guilt and their ten-year sentence terms.