Lawyers asked to present independent report

By GEORGINA KOREI
FORMER chief justice Sir Arnold Amet has asked a State lawyer representing doctors in the coroner’s inquest of Rex Wanzing to ensure that the independent inquiry report is presented to the panel.
Sir Arnold told Kevin Kipongi, from the Office of Solicitor General, on Friday that since he would be representing the doctors, he had to take full responsibility to ensure that the independent inquiry report was brought in for examination and assessment by parties in the inquiry. “Once the independent inquiry report is presented before the panel, the authors of the report will also testify as witnesses,” he said.
Sir Arnold said the independent inquiry report that was
conducted by the State was completed in December but State agencies that were responsible were yet to release the report to the panel for examination.
Magistrate Sandy Tiankin said the panel had finalised a tentative time schedule from Sept 12-15 for witnesses to come and testify.
“Because of the time period, we have decided to put 10 witnesses per day,” she said.
“In the event that we need to include more witnesses, we can slot them into Sept 19.”
Magistrate Annie Turi said the list of new witnesses included the State solicitor lawyer who assisted in the independent inquiry, Health secretary Dr Osbourne Liko and then-health minister Jelta Wong.
“The State lawyer responsible who assisted the independent inquiry will tell us where the report is,” she said.
“Dr Liko is the department (Health) secretary so he can give us the heads up on the procurement processes involved in importing the new batch of propofol drug.
“Jelta Wong was the Health Minister during the time when the independent report was conducted and presented so he would have knowledge of that independent inquiry report by the State.”
Magistrate Turi said other witnesses could come and provide additional information about the independent inquiry report if they knew.