League tribunal to meet

By JACK AMI
THE Papua New Guinea National Rugby League’s independent tribunal is set to deliberate on the appeals of the Hagen Eagles and Agmark Gurias in Port Moresby tomorrow.
PNGNRL chief executive officer Stanley Hondina confirmed that an independent tribunal was appointed regarding the  violence during the Digicel Cup preliminary final between Eagles and Gurias in August.
Hondina said it had taken time because the neutral and independent tribunal had to be appointed to go through the evidence a second time.
He said thePNGNRL would not divulge the identities of the independent tribunal.
The tribunal will revisit all the exhibits as evidence with TV Wan footage, witnesses statements and other electronic materials as well as  the written appeals by both parties.
The Eagles franchise was hit with a suspension of three years, players Francis Ray and Junior Rau suspended for 10 years while instigator of the violence Stanley Akinu was given life ban for assaulting referee Aaron Henry and officials Paul Wani and Ben Kaupa. Gurias fan Joe Pidik died as a result of the after match violence.
A civil charge for assault against Akinu and Rau was laid at the Waigani Police Station.
Also Gurias Samuel Hamari, Francis Paniu, Lucas Kapinias and Adrian Baungas were all charged for breaching the PNGNRL players’ code of conduct for their part in the violence that ended their clash.
Each of the Gurias players were fined K5000  and given five match bans.