Pomat confirms MP’s dismissal

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
Parliament Speaker Job Pomat says that he has received instruments from Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae confirming the dismissal of Vanimo-Green MP Belden Namah from Parliament.
Pomat said yesterday that he was awaiting legal clearance before making an official announcement in Parliament.
Although Pomat did not disclose the contents of the instrument, it is understood that Sir Bob was acting on National Court Registrar’s recommendations to dismiss Namah.
A leadership tribunal on April 9 recommended that Namah be dismissed from public office for breaching the leadership code.
The most serious offence he was convicted of was for storming a court on May 24, 2012, and ordering police officers to arrest Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, who was presiding over a case.
Namah was then deputy prime minister in the then O’Neill-Namah government.
The tribunal consisting of Justice Terence Higgins, and magistrate Patricia Tivese and Magistrate Alex Kalandi also found him guilty of providing misleading annual statements to the Ombudsman Commission from Aug 2007 to Aug 2017.
The tribunal had made a recommendation to Sir Bob.
If Sir Bob agrees with the recommendation, he would then advise Pomat to dismiss Namah from Parliament.
It is understood that Namah has filed a judicial review with the Supreme Court to review the tribunal’s decision.