Anderson Agiru

Hela Governor Anderson Pawa Agiru is dead

http://www.looppng.com/content/hela-governor-anderson-pawa-agiru-dead

Hela's favourite son and Governor Anderson Pawa Agiru died this morning at the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby.

Potape was purportedly elected governor of the province by members of the Hela Provincial Assembly, ousting the Hela Regional Member elect Anderson Agiru.

The matter returned before Justice Ere Kariko yesterday (Thursday) where counsels representing Agiru and Potape presented submissions in court.

Counsel representing Agiru, Greg Egan told the court that the election of Potape failed to comply with section 8(3) of the Hela Provincial Assembly Standing Orders where it was supposed to move the motion “after” seven days.

Justice Derek Hartshorn granted the interim orders sought by Agiru this morning to maintain the status-quo while they await proper trial of the matter.

Agiru has also been granted by the Court to perform his functions as governor while the court deals with the substantive issue.

The matter will return to court on February 19 for proper trial over the manner in which Komo-Magarima MP Francis Potape was elected governor on December 29 in Tari during a Hela Provincial Assembly meeting.

 Agiru was ousted as governor at a meeting conducted by Francis Potape and other members of the Hela Provincial Assembly on December 29 in Tari.

He returned to the National Court at Waigani this morning to move the notice of motion that was filed on January 4 (yesterday).

However the matter could not proceed any further as the motion was “short served’’ (insufficient notice) to Francis Potape’s lawyer Philip Ame just this morning.

The matter came before Justice Derek Hartshorn.