Paraka appeal set for May 29, co-accused Yafai appears

CONVICTED lawyer Paul Paraka’s appeal hearing against conviction and sentence is set for May 29.
The matter returned to the Supreme Court in Waigani for mention before Justice David Cannings on Tuesday.
Justice Cannings adjourned the matter after he found from out the State that Paraka’s appeal book was not ready and was sent back for review and certification.
He then ordered that Paraka’s appeal book be ready as soon as possible.
Paraka said the court needed to order his appeal book to be ready by tomorrow.
Further direction hearing would be held on May 7 to check on the submission being filed and served for the hearing on May 29.
Paraka, 54, was found guilty in May last year of misappropriating K162 million of public funds. His was subsequently jailed 20 years on Oct 4 in the same year.
He appealing both sentence and conviction in one hearing. Meanwhile, former deputy secretary for Finance and co-accused of Paraka, Jacob Yafai, appeared in the National Court for mention and bail review on Tuesday.
The matter retuned to Waigani to confirm the pre-trial review statement and trial date.
Judge Teresa Berrigan adjourned the matter to April 30 to allow parties to prepare documents to be used during the pre-trial review.
Yafai, 42, from Karapia in East Sepik’s Yangoru-Saussia, is facing four charges each of conspiracy, corruption and abuse of office
The charges are related to four payments to Paraka Lawyers between November 2012 and May 2013.
He is alleged to have facilitated the payments totalling over K40 million when he was Finance secretary.
Yafai was committed to stand trial in early February, almost 10 years after Paraka’s was first arrested in 2013 and charged with misappropriation.