Justice Derek Hartshorn

Justice Derek Hartshorn heard submissions from lawyers representing John Simon and the Electoral Commission and reserved his ruling for a later date.

Petitioner and lawyer, Vincent Alois Hamiya, who finished fourth in the election race, is alleging numerous instances of bribery and illegal practice by successful candidate Simon.

He filed the petition on 30 August last year. Simon was declared on 22 July.

The court was addressed on two motions challenging that petition today.

The National court on Wednesday evening allowed the extension of these orders, after it issued them on July 22.

Justice Derek Hartshorn allowed the orders to remain after hearing lawyers representing Sitting MP, Rimbink Pato, and the Electoral Commission.

Pato filed the proceeding where he successfully took out the orders, after the court was satisfied on evidence that the two ballot boxes from the Awas and Tuplokores areas were supposed to be set aside from counting as per directions from Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato.

The matter was adjourned and remitted to the registry after parties brought to the Supreme Court’s attention that there is a misunderstanding amongst the parties regarding one of the orders that was issued in the October Supreme Court sitting.

The order, which parties have misinterpreted, is regarding the planting of oil palm, and any associated activities in relation to oil palm planting on the land after the high court upheld the National Court’s decision to revoke the SABL.

The decision today came as a huge relief for the 42-year-old naturalised Australian citizen from Central Province, who could not control her emotions inside the courtroom.

Taita Prichard was convicted and sentenced by the Waigani National Court over the wilful murder of her former partner in July 23, 2011, at Napanapa outside Port Moresby.

She was found guilty on Nov 11, 2015, for planning and using her cousin, 35-year-old James Paru, to wilfully murder British man John Hulse in 2011.