Court to hear Marape’s appeal

 THE Supreme Court will hear the appeal of Finance Minister James Marape next month regarding the decision of the National Court last year which refused to restrain the police from arresting him and Prime Minister Peter O’Neill. 

The court, presided by Justice Derek Hartshorn, Justice Collin Makail and Justice Don Sawong, set the hearing dates of the appeal for March 22-23. 

On July 31, 2014, the National Court, presided by Justice Ere Kariko, dismissed an application filed by Marape and O’Neill which sought an interim restraining order against the police from arresting them. 

Kariko said in his ruling that there was a prime facie case that in the interest of justice, the balance of convenience favoured the refusal of the interim restraining order, as it was not in the interest of justice that lawful investigatory authorities should be prevented from performing their functions. 

Marape, aggrieved by the National Court decision, filed his appeal in the Supreme Court. 

The respondents in the appeal were O’Neill, Attorney-General Anno Pala, Paul Paraka Lawyers, the State and the heads of National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate.