Court sets date for Simon election case

The National Court has set five days in December for the election petition hearing against Maprik MP John Simon.
Simon, a National Alliance Opposition MP, has also filed a competency application to challenge the the petition.
That application will be heard before the start of the trial on Dec 11 and the trial will continue to Dec 15 at the Wewak National Court.
The court refused petitioner Vincent Alois Yangwari’s  request to have the trial listed in Port Moresby  because he was concerned with security in Wewak.
Justice Collin Makail ruled that the trial be heard in Wewak because of the accessibility of witnesses and the court facilities available there.
The petitioner will call 37 witnesses.
The petition will return to court on Dec 4 for a status conference.
The court commended the parties for complying with the directional orders of the court to allow the petition to progress to pre-trial.