Court stays ruling

By KARO JESSE
THE Supreme Court has stayed a court order nullifying the appointment of David Manning as Commissioner of Police.
The order was handed down by Justice David Cannings in the National Court last Friday, in response to an application for a judicial review of Manning’s appointment filed by former senior police officers Sylvester Kalaut and Fred Yakasa.
Kalaut and Yakasa had also applied for the position of police commissioner with Manning in 2019.
Justice Cannings ruled that Manning’s appointment was wrong because he did not have a tertiary qualification a requirement for the post.
He ordered Manning to vacate the office of the police commissioner and secretary to the police department by noon today.
Yesterday, Justice Derek Hartshorn granted the stay order sought by lawyer Troy Mileng of the Solicitor-General’s office representing the State and lawyer Derek Wood representing Manning pending the determination of an appeal against Justice Cannings’ decision.
Justice Hartshorn said there was an arguable case on the separation of the two positions of commissioner and secretary to the police department which Manning was holding.
Manning will remain police commissioner in the meantime because of the stay order.
Outside court, Kalaut and Yakasa yesterday accepted the decision by Supreme Court judge Justice Hartshorn.