High Court reserves decision on Wobiro’s case

THE Supreme Court has reserved its decision on an appeal by Western Governor Ati Wobiro and two other prisoners against their conviction for misappropriating public funds.
Wobiro, Dr Madowa Gumoi and owner of Fly Care Foundation Norman May appealed against the National Court decision which found them guilty of conspiracy to defraud and misappropriation and sentenced them to 10 years imprisonment each.
Their appeal was moved last Thursday by lawyer Greg Egan with assistance from lawyers from Posman Kua Aisi Lawyers.
Egan submitted that the judgments of the trial judge Justice Martin Ipang on conviction and sentence were flawed and unsound.
This was because he said the trial judge did not consider all the evidence that was put before the court during the trial.
State prosecutor Anthony Kupmain, from the Office of the Public Prosecutor, opposed the appeal saying the National Court had found that the three men had conspired to misappropriate K7 million when they entered into an agreement to sign a memorandum of agreement between the provincial government and the Fly Care Foundation.
The agreement was for the foundation to manage the funds for the projects in the province.
The appealed was heard by a three-man bench comprising of Justice Panuel Mogish, Justice George Manuhu and Justice Stephen Kassman.