Court reinstates head

 ACTING Unesco secretary general Andrew Angobe has been cleared of all work-related allegations at all levels of the court system following a decision on Dec 11 by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia.

Justice Sir Salamo ruled against an appeal instituted by sidelined Unesco secretary general Yori Yei, who had cited contempt from the National Court ruling by Justice Kawi in Angobe’s favour on Oct 25. 

Yei had taken out an injunction on order by the Education Minister James Marape who was acting on a decision by the National Executive Council (NEC) to sideline the Unesco management to make way for an investigation into allegations of official corruption and financial mismanagement. 

Then education programme manager Angobe was appointed to act as caretaker. 

Justice Sir Salamo dismissed the proceedings for want of prosecution as the appellant failed to appear in person or through legal counsel to prosecute the appeal. This now means the order by Justice Kawi to order the reinstatement of Angobe on the payroll stands. 

Angobe now assumes duties as the caretaker head of the PNG National Commission for the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) after a lengthy court battle.

Angobe, who was appointed on Feb 26, has been in and out of court with the latter maintaining his seat and the caretaker being suspended from duties without pay.

 A relieved Angobe yesterday said he had been subject to harassment by police, locked up several times at Gordon’s and Boroko cells and won all his court battles.

 “Just last week the highest court in the land ruled in my favour. What more does a person has to endure to see justice prevail,” he said.

Angobe said he was looking forward to working with the minister.

He said things had turned sour over the past 11 months .