Judge grants contempt six bail

 SIX convicted supporters of Usino-Bundi MP Anton Yagama have been granted bail by the Supreme Court. 

The six men were jailed by Justice David Cannings in the National Court in Madang last Friday after they were found guilty of contempt. 

Justice Colin Makail, presiding as the Supreme Court bench, yesterday granted bail to Augustine Koroma, Steven Andambo and four others for K500 each. 

National Court Registrar Ian Augerea, the respondent in the matter, did not oppose the bail application. 

Koroma and Andamboare must report to the National Court in Madang on the first Monday of each month. Koroma is Yagama’s executive officer. The other four men will report on the first Monday of each month at their local police station in Bundi as they are villagers.

The defence lawyer representing the six men advised the court that an appeal was being filed in the Supreme Court challenging the lower court decision that jailed the six, men including Yagama and his political rival, Peter Yama. 

Yagama and Yama were convicted of contempt of court and released on bail pending appeals.

The six supporters were found guilty of contempt after they brea­ched a court order issued by the National Court at Waigani on July 29 last year restraining them from causing trouble and interfering with the court process while the 2013 general election Usino-Bundi seat recount was in progress. 

Yagama was jailed for nine months for failing to stop his supporters from creating trouble against Yama on Sept 3 last year. 

Yama was sentenced to six months.