The Supreme Court yesterday issued orders for the Department of Personnel Management Secretary John Kali to appear in person and assist the court on the validity of a recent appointment.
The order was issued on Friday when the matter involving the position of the Eastern Highlands Provincial Administrator returned to court.
The matter was adjourned to Tuesday, April 19, as Secretary Kali is currently out of the country. The court was told he will be returning this weekend.
An officer of the Supreme Court registry was issued an order by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia to personally serve Kali a notice for his expected appearance in court next Tuesday. The officer is also expected to file an affidavit of service before the court to show when the orders are delivered to Kali on his arrival.
Kali is expected to confirm the validity of the recent appointment of Alvin Inamoi to the position of the Eastern Highlands Province Provincial Administrator.
Inamoi was said to be appointed after Public Prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin elected an ex-officio indictment against Solomon Tato to stand trial at the Goroko National Court on misappropriation allegations.
In a letter dated March 14, the public prosecutor attached two charges that Tato will answer to in the National Court.
Tato was elected to stand trial under section 526 of the Criminal Code despite the Goroka District Court dismissing his case for insufficient evidence in Nov 27 last year.
Under section 526 of the Criminal Code, the public prosecutor has the power to bring a charge against a defendant in criminal proceedings for further consideration in the National Court after the District Court dismisses it. Here a matter will proceed for trial through what is called an ex-officio indictment, or charge upon consideration, of the public prosecutor.
On August 4 last year, Justice Ambeng Kandakasi issued interim orders, through a civil proceeding at the National Court, to have Tato step aside as provincial administrator pending allegations of criminal investigations.
These criminal allegations were dismissed by the Goroka District Court in November 27 on insufficient evidence.
Tato resumed office on Feb 15 this year after the Supreme Court ordered his reinstatement as the provincial administrator of EHP following a tussle between him and Samson Akunai in the civil proceeding filed.
However, soon after his election to stand trial at the National Court, Inamoi was purportedly appointed to the position of the public administrator, an appointment Secretary Kali is expected to assist the court on.
Caption: File picture.