Maladina applies for stay order on conviction

 FORMER National Provident Fund boss Jimmy Maladina has applied to the Supreme Court to stay his sentencing by the National Court later this month.

Maladina’s lawyer Greg Shepherd made the application before Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia. He asked the court to stay Maladina’s sentencing pending a judicial review of his conviction by the National Court. 

A decision on the application will be handed down today. Maladina was convicted by the National Court last month for misappropriating and conspiring to defraud NPF of K2.65 million between Nov 1, 1998, and Oct 10, 2000. 

Shepherd submitted that the application for review had arguable grounds and no one was going to suffer any consequences if it was unsuccessful. Sir Salamo said it was something totally new to him to deal with an application to stay the proceeding of a person already convicted and awaiting sentencing.

He said: “This may be the first of its kind. The law does not permit such application.”