Court dismisses application challenging Yama as Madang governor

THE Supreme Court, on June 3, dismissed a slip rule application filed by Jerry Singirok challenging a decision made by a five-man bench last Aug 6 declaring Peter Yama as the duly elected MP for Madang. Singirok is the second runner-up in the 2017 general election. Justice David Cannings delivered an extempore judgment, saying there was no slip rule in the Aug 6 decision. “There is nothing to argue,” he said.  “All the grounds that the applicant relied on were already argued and the applicant is trying to re-argue those grounds.” Yama welcomed the ruling, saying he was happy with the decision. “The decision has finally closed the case and I am looking forward to the next general election,” he said. “I also urge Singirok to go to polls if he wants to challenge the seat. “We only have 12 and half months to go, so Singirok and his cohorts and friends in the public sector should not to interfere with my government. ‘Since becoming governor in 2017, I have faced so many interferences on Facebook, with police from Lae and Madang. “As a former policeman, I see that their conduct is unacceptable.  “Police must be seen to be doing the right thing because they are not above the law.”