Trial

The petition that was filed challenging Member for Moresby South, Justin Tkatchenko’s win has been listed to go for trial.

This is the first election petition, out of the 77 that were initially filed, to have its trial date set in the Court of Disputed Returns.

Filed by Samson Kirilyo, the trial will be heard at Waigani National Court buildings from November 20-24.

Read full story on http://www.looppng.com/png-news/first-election-petition-trial-date-set-68020

The adjournment is to allow time for businessman and Madang Governor Peter Yama, to get proper legal advice and file his submissions on a counter-claim of K17 million by BSP against the Yama Group of Companies.

Yama filed the lawsuit in 2015, claiming the damage of K2.7 billion, after the Supreme Court on December 2014, ruled in favour of Smugglers Inn Ltd and the Yama Group of Companies, following a 13-year court battle with Bank South Pacific (formerly PNG Banking Corporation).

Sese Mala of Lelefu village, Malalaua, is alleged to have been involved in the armed robbery of 777 Pokies bar and restaurant, along with five others, on June 30, 2015.

The court was told today that Mala and others entered the 777 Pokies bar and restaurant between 2pm-3pm, took valuables from customers, cash, alcohol, flex cards and cigarettes, all valued at K5000, while armed with two factory made pistols.

They made away with K2000 cash.

At the presentation of the charge against him in court, Mala pleaded not guilty, which prompted the commencement of the trial.

The man today appeared in the Waigani National Court and pleaded not guilty to the two charges that were laid against him by the prosecutor.

It is alleged he sexually assaulted his cousin sister, who was six years old then, at the family home at Nine-Mile on 18 September, 2015.

The house belonged to his father. The accused is the adopted son of the home owner, who is the elder brother of the victim’s father.

Anasi Apak of Lufa, Eastern Highlands, Robin Badui Jnr of Dagua, East Sepik, and Kimugo Komafe of Kainantu, Eastern Highlands Province, all pleaded not guilty in court today to the charge of armed robbery.

They appeared before Acting Justice Daniel Liosi, where each of them pleaded not guilty to three counts of armed robbery.

The armed robbery took place at 8am on 24 August 2015, at Lakatoi place, East Boroko.

Magistrate Cosmas Bidar today ordered the committal of Jeffery Sheekiot of Madang Province to the National Court for trial.

The order came after the committal court considered Sheekiot’s statement in response to its earlier ruling last month. The court then ruled there was enough evidence for his case to go for trial.

Nelson Aila of Goimga village, Malalaua District, Gulf Province, and Simon Nokue stood trial on three counts of forgery and 14 counts of false pretense.

The trial was held with co-accused Murray Willie of Warakum in the Western Highlands Province.

On Wednesday, the owner of the lodge concerned, Mose Kopyoto of Kopyoto Investments Ltd, the company that runs Lodge 10, gave evidence on behalf of the state against the three.

Mose Kopyoto owns Kopyoto Investments Ltd, the company that runs Lodge 10 in Port Moresby.

In 2015, four men received services from his lodge upon presentation of fake cheques, defrauding him of cash while pretending to be employees of the Department of National Planning.

Three of those four men are now standing trial at the National Court.

Nelson Aila of Goimga village, Malalaua District, Gulf Province, Murray Willie of Warakum in the Western Highlands Province and their co-accused, Simon Nokue, are currently standing trial in court.

This comes after a Public prosecutor presented a notice of withdrawal on the charge that was laid against her.

The notice of nolle prosequi, dated June 19, was presented in court this afternoon before trial judge and Deputy Chief Justice, Sir Gibbs Salika.

This now means that the trial will not go ahead at this stage. The court ordered a refund of her bail of K1000 and discharged the allegations against her.

Twivey was to stand trial on one count of perverting the course of justice in 2015. She was arrested and charged on April 11, 2016.

Last week, lawyers for the former director of the National Library and Archives, Jacob Hevelawa, his wife Miriam Hevelawa, and the former corporate service manager of the National Library and Archives, Timothy Numara, moved a no case submission asking the Waigani National Court to discharge them.

The submission, made by their lawyer asking the court to stop the trial halfway and discharge the allegations against them, was refused.