Non-availability of overseas counsels, solicitors delay COI

The National Main Stories

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Union Bank of Switzerland loan was further adjourned yesterday to Nov 23 due to non-availability of the overseas counsels and solicitors.
COI chairman Sir Salamo Injia told the witnesses who were present that the hearing dates were rescheduled due to the delayed admission of the overseas counsels and solicitors to the National Court.
There were 10 witnesses directed to appear out of which only five turned up.
The five who turned up were former prime minister Peter O’Neill, Parliament Clerk Kala Aufa and Government Printer Christine Lenturut. The other two, Sir Michael Somare and Kumul Consolidated Holdings managing director Isikeli Taureka were represented by their lawyers respectively.
The submission for overseas counsels and solicitors’ admission to practice in PNG was made since July but had continued to be delayed.
It is understood that the National Court rejected the submission of the first five overseas solicitors and the commission was waiting for the outcome of the solicitors.
Sir Salamo said the first five overseas solicitors were refused and the commission was seeking interim arrangements.
“We have one last hurdle to overcome and we will now adjourn for two weeks to allow for the applications to be reviewed by the National Court,” he said.
“There are 20 witnesses yet required to appear before the commission. The commission continues to host preliminary hearings,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sir Salamo said the commission may continue its hearing into December due to the delayed admission of overseas counsels and solicitors.
The former chief justice said further directions would be given to the witnesses on the outcome of the submissions to the National Court.

5 comments

  • STOP THIS COI AND RETURN ALL THE UNUSED MONEY BACK TO TREASURY AND LET LIFE BE AS USUAL…LET

    GOD BE THE ULTIMATE JUDGE. WE CAN ALREADY SEE THAT NOTHING TANGIBLE WILL RESULT, SUCH AS CONVICTIONS, RECOUPING OF MONIES ETC SO STOP THIS ALTOGETHER.

    OL LAIK PILAI PILAI LONG PEOPLE BLONG GOD…LARIM GOD BAI DEAL WANTAIM OL SAPOS OL MEKIM WRONG.

  • PO has presented himself to Judges, and yet they delay the case.Too much money spent for this and nothing done.Please stop nau na lusim dispela case.If they don’t tend up for next hearing,strike the case out.Planti giaman tumas.

  • A BREAKING NEWS was already released some time last year by the former SOE Minister Ben Micah regarding this so-called UBS Loan and the names of all the bunch of useless self interested Papua New Guineans involved in this. In that released Ben Micah confessed everything, including calling the names of the people involved and says he apologize for all this. Nothing has been done since then and sad for us this culprit is enjoying his life somewhere and free from worrying about anything to do with law catching up on him because our so-called COI chairman and former chief justice continues to delay this whole process. What more evidence do he need when he already got the confession from the very people who were involved in this whole matter.

    I think these people are covering things up and using a lot of the peoples’ money.

  • Mr. Ex Chief Justice just drop everything and enjoy your retirement. You were the principle legal advisor to the prime minister during your time and knew it all. If you know nothing will come off it do the right thing and decommission the COI. The money needed to run COI is badly needed elsewhere.

    No Government is perfect, we just learn from this mistakes and avoid making same in future. A mistake is not a mistake unless you cannot correct it, this mistake should have been corrected in the beginning, why use up scarce funds to run a COI with no convection in the end, grow up.

Comments are closed.