Court rejects review

 THE Supreme Court has dismissed an application by former New Ireland governor Ian Ling-Stuckey to review the decision of the Court of Disputed Returns that dismissed bribery and undue influence claims against Governor Sir Julius Chan during the 2012 general election.

Justice Stephen Kassman, sitting as a one-man bench, last Friday refused another attempt by Ling-Stuckey’s lawyer seeking a fifth adjournment claiming he needed additional time to gather more information to appeal against the lower court’s decision on July 5, 2013.

Following that ruling, Ling-Stuckey lodged an appeal in the Supreme Court and had been seeking adjournments claiming more time was needed to gather additional information. 

However, judge Kassman rejected outright the adjournments sought by Ling-Stuckey and threw out the case.

The decision ends the length court petition case against Sir Julius in the general election.

The governor welcomed the decision and reiterated that the allegations against him were baseless and an attempt to divert public attention away from positive developments undertaken by the current New Ireland government.