Kombuk to review NEC decision

SUSPENDED Department of Agriculture and Livestock secretary Daniel Kombuk has been allowed by the Waigani National Court to review the National Executive Council’s (NEC) decision to suspend his appointment on July 22.
Justice Jospeh Yagi granted a leave (permission) application filed by Kombuk through lawyer Greg Sheppard after he found that there was an arguable case in regards to the process used by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to recommend Kombuk’s suspension to NEC.
Sheppard told the court that the decision to suspend Kombuk to allow for further investigation was unjust.
Sheppard contended that allegations contained in the commission’s report found a number of allegations without merit and the remaining allegations needed further investigation but none had been carried out.
State lawyer Kevin Kipongi argued that the leave application for judicial review needed to be dismissed because the suspension was interim pending the investigation into allegations against Kombuk.
Kipongi told the court that Sheppard had misconceived the provision 31D of Public Service (Management) Act by saying there was no investigation.
This was because the process was still at an early stage.
However, Justice Yagi conceded to Sheppard’s argument.
On June 28, a notice to show cause was issued to Kombuk by Agriculture Minister John Simon alleging that Kombuk failed to comply with the minister’s direction over the dispersal of K21.6 million.
Kombuk replied to the show cause notice but was suspended after PSC served him a confidential report stating that there existed a prima facie case against him.