Goroka National Court

Goroka, Abau petitions set for trial

The petition which alleges grounds of errors, omission and irregularities against the Electoral Commission will go for trial at the Goroka National Court.

Kimisopa will be bringing nine witnesses for the trial.

Trial will be held from December 18-22 before the next available judge, the court ordered today.

Two applications filed by Ame as well as the Electoral Commission challenging the competency of the petition will be heard before the trial proceeds.

Trial dates for the Abau Open seat have also been set for December.

​Tato misappropriation case dismissed

Trial judge and Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika dismissed the case on May 10 after he found that the accused had no case to answer to.

The trial commenced last week with the state presenting its evidence in court.

At the close of the state’s evidence, Tato’s lawyers moved an application asking the court to stop the trial and acquit him, saying the defence team had no case to answer to because the state’s case lacked sufficient evidence to convict him.

That application was agreed to by the court and Tato was discharged of the allegations against him.

Trial on stolen noodles goes to Goroka

Arrested and charged with one count of dishonest application and false pretence, Warren Koaba from the Central Province went for mention at the Waigani National Court this week. 

The court was told his case has been transferred to Goroka, which will be presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika on April 3.

The Waigani Committal Court found sufficient evidence to put his case for trial.

Tato’s indictment challenge dismissed

Tato filed the application to dismiss or quash the ex-officio indictment or an election of his case by the Public Prosecutor to proceed to the National Court for trial.

The Public Prosecutor elected his case to go forward to the National Court under section 526 of the Criminal Code. This happened after the Goroka District Court dismissing his case for insufficient evidence on Nov 27 last year.

The indictment was served on Tato in Port Moresby on July 22 by the Public Prosecutor, Pondros Kaluwin, for misappropriation allegations. The allegations date back to 2011.

Solomon Tato to challenge indictment

Tato was served an ex-officio indictment on July 22 in Port Moresby by the Public Prosecutor, Pondros Kaluwin, for misappropriation allegations. The allegations date back to 2011.

An ex-officio indictment is a court document that is signed and presented by the Public Prosecutor in special cases where the Committal Court magistrate refuses to commit a person to stand trial or dismisses a case on insufficient evidence. It can only be signed by the Public Prosecutor.

Tato said his lawyer George Lau filed an application challenging that ex-officio indictment.

Tato to stand trial in National Court

Public Prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin elected his case to go forward to the National Court under section 526 of the Criminal Code despite the Goroka District Court dismissing his case for insufficient evidence in Nov 27 last year.