PNGBLOGS

Supreme Court today dismissed the appeal by Minister of Finance James Marape challenging an earlier decision allowing Director of National Fraud & Anti-Corruption join the Supreme Court proceedings that issued a interim injunction against Marape and Prime Minister's arrest. Marape's appeal to remove Damaru and Gitua was supported by the Prime Minister, Commissioner of Police and Attorney General and Paraka Lawyers. Damaru and Gitua were granted leave (permission) in March 2015 by Supreme Court Judge Terrence Higgins. Supreme Court proceedings were initiated by Marape challenging an earlier decision by the National Court in July 2014 refusing Prime Minister and Marape's application seeking an interim stay order from the Court preventing Police from arresting them in relation to fraudulent payments to Paraka Lawyers. After filing the SC proceedings Marape and Prime Minister then moved a further application asking SC to stay their arrest until the SC determines their app

TWO SENIOR DETECTIVES INVOLVED IN PM’S ARREST WARRANT TERMINATED: Two veterans of the Police Force have been unceremoniously terminated in circumstances not isolated to the current cases pending in court relating to the Arrest Warrant against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill. Chief Inspector Timothy Gitua and Assistant Commissioner of Police Thomas Eluh who are two of the officers at the forefront of the investigations against PM O’Neill had been terminated. These are two officers who have been serving the Royal Constabulary with distinction for many years. “We believe that the two officers had been vindictively penalised by the Commissioner of Police and his deputy.” We have reason to believe that this decision, though not surprising, is not an isolated act but one that, in the whole scheme of things, is tailored and coordinated to frustrate and defeat the pending court cases against the PM. Although we do not question the Commissioner’s powers to take disciplinary ac

by BRYAN KRAMER PNG Chief Migration Officer(CMO) Mataio Rabura has issued a travel ban against National Fraud & Anti-Corruption Directorate Australian based lawyers Greg Egan and Terence Lambert from travelling into PNG. Mr. Rabura issued the directive on 8th September 2015 to all International Airlines and PNG Provincial Border Posts directing them not to uplift Egan or his junior Counsel Lambert to enter PNG. The notice stated in no circumstances are they permitted to allow Egan and Lambert into PNG and failure to comply with the instructions may result in a penalty fee imposed onthe airline. Egan an Australian Lawyer has been practicing law in PNG since 1988 he is currently briefed out by Jema Lawyers to act for Director of National Fraud & Anti-corruption Directorate Mathew Damaru and his Deputy Timothy Gitua in a number of National and Supreme Court cases relating to the warrant of arrest against the Prime Minister. He also acts for Task Force Sweep Chairman Sam K