Goroka welcomes justices for first supreme court sitting

By ZACHERY PER
THE Supreme Court will sit in Goroka for the first time, an official says.
President of the National and Supreme Court Judges Justice Panuel Mogish said in the country’s history the court had never been to the Eastern Highlands capital.
“There was never a Supreme Court sitting held in Goroka over the past 47 years of Independence, this week will be the first ever Supreme Court to sit in Goroka,” he said. Justice Mogish, who was born and grew up in Goroka, said he was honoured to bring the Supreme Court to his town and thanked judges in the National and Supreme Courts for agreeing to have sittings in provinces.
Supreme Courts were already held in Kokopo (East New Britain), Kimbe (West New Britain) and Alotau (Milne Bay).
Justice Mogish said Supreme Court sittings would be held in Daru (Western), Kavieng (New Ireland) and Popondetta (Northern). He said the judges wanted to bring the Supreme Court to the people because it was costly to fly to Port Moresby to have their appeals heard.
“It is very easy to bring the Supreme Court to the provinces where it makes it affordable and convenient for the court users, and for prison inmates to have their cases heard,” he said.
Justice Mogish addressed an assembly of court users, members of the disciplined forces, judges, magistrates, lawyers and judiciary workers at the Goroka Court House.
“For the Supreme Court to come to the people is making hearing of appeals and pending matters easy, since independence we have never had Supreme Court sittings in provinces,” he said.
Members of the Supreme Court sitting in Goroka this week are Justices Mogish, George Manuhu, Stephen Kassman, Iova Geita, Ravunama Auka, John Kaumi and Goroka resident acting judge Irene Mugugia.