Court dismisses contempt motion against minister

By KARO JESSE
THE National Court yesterday dismissed a notice of motion filed by chairman of the Oil Palm Industry Corporation (Opic) Stuart Tatauro and its board against Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon for alleged contempt.
Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi granted leave to have the matter withdrawn after the court was told that the motion filed was resolved in a previous proceeding.
Simon’s lawyer submitted that the chairman and Opic board also filed another proceeding seeking a judicial review over the same matter which was regarding a decision by Simon to have the former executive, Leslie Wungen, reinstated as the acting general secretary of the board.
The concerns raised in contempt proceeding were similar to the judicial review filed.
The court was told that if both proceedings were pursued, it would result in abuse of the court process.
The Opic board and chairman filed the contempt proceeding on April 1 prior to Simon’s directives issuing a notice to the board to have Wungen reinstated as acting general secretary.
The board claimed that the step which Simon took weighed against the court findings on Feb 13 which refused to reinstate Wungen.
Opic was relying on a decision of a National Court proceeding initiated by Wungen against the board for removing him from office.
Justice Kandakasi told Tatauro, through his lawyer, that a new proceeding could be filed.