Sir Puka’s leadership tribunal adjourned

By ZEDAIAH KANAU
A LEADERSHIP tribunal looking into allegations of misconduct in office by Abau MP Sir Puka Temu has been adjourned to March 8 at the Bomana National Court.
Chairman of the tribunal Justice Panuel Mogish allowed the adjournment after seeking advice from both parties over the matter.
Justice Mogish, during the previous hearing last Monday, had scheduled a tentative date of Feb 22 due to the Supreme Court week starting on that date.
In court, he advised parties that Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika would maintain the dates of the Supreme Court week so the tribunal should be moved to another date.
Sir Puka’s lawyer Loani Henao told the tribunal that they had just been served the reference and the statement of reasons so they needed time to go through the documents, requesting for an adjournment to March 8.
“We’ve been served with the documents only yesterday (on Thursday) and my client and I need to go through the documents,” Henao said. “What we were served was the reference, explanatory notes and statements of reason.
“My client and I suggest March 8 given the volume of documents and the fact that we received them only yesterday afternoon.”
Counsel assisting the tribunal, Anthony Kupmain from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, had no issues with the request.
The tribunal adjourned the proceeding to March 8 for the presentation of the reference and the statement of reason.