Justice Kiriwom passes on

CHIEF Justice Sir Gibbs Salika has confirmed that Justice Nicholas Kirriwom passed away at a hospital in Port Moresby on Monday.
He was 66 and survived by wife Rachael and children.
He was the judge administrator for East Sepik, West Sepik and Manus and was serving his third term as a judge of the National Court and Supreme Court.
He was also as a member of the Nauru Court of Appeal.
Sir Gibbs said in a statement that the judiciary was deeply saddened by Justice Kirriwom’s untimely passing and offered its condolences to wife Rachael, children, relatives and friends.
The judiciary is organising a ceremonial sitting to farewell him, plus funeral arrangements and repatriation to his final resting place.
He is the second judge to pass away this year after Justice Regina Sagu a month ago.
Justice Kirriwom was born on Feb 28, 1955, at Meiwok village in Bogia, Madang.
He began his education from 1963 to 1968 at the St Theresa Primary School in Madang.
He attended the Divine Word Secondary School from 1969 to 1972.
He pursued matriculation studies at the University of PNG in 1973 and 1974 and a law degree from 1974 to 1977.
He graduated from the Legal Training Institute in 1978 and served as a legal officer at the Office of the Public Solicitor for a year.
He served in the Office of the National Solicitor in 1979 and 1980 then as the principal defending officer at the Office of the Public Solicitor up to 1982. He served as the deputy Public Solicitor then Public Solicitor from 1983 to 1986.
He spent time in the private sector from 1986 to 1992 before serving as chairman of the Parole Board from 1993 to 1997.
He also became a judge of the Supreme Court and National Court in 1997.
He was resident judge in Goroka from 1999 to 2001 before serving in Lae up to 2009.
Justice Kirriwom died at the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby while receiving medical treatment.