Somare and Amet state interest in Morobe’s Supreme Court reference

By JUNIOR UKAHA
SIR Michael Somare and Sir Arnold Amet told the Supreme Court yesterday they both have substantial interest in the Supreme Court reference filed by the Morobe provincial government.
It is an application to stay the judicial conduct act and the two leaders wanted
to join the proceedings.
They are among a list of interveners including court registrar Ian Augerea, Justice Nicholas Kirriwom and the Ombudsman Commission.
Yesterday’s hearing was held to identify the interested parties who wished to join the special Supreme Court reference on the new law.
Lawyer representing both men, Kerenga Kua, stated that his clients had some connections with the case at hand and it would be fair and in the interest of justice that they joined.
He told the court that Sir Michael was a Member of Parliament and the rightful Prime Minister of the country.
 according to the Supreme Court Decision of Dec 12, 2011 (SCR 3/2011).
Kua said as PM, Sir Michael was chairman of the national executive council and thus had an interest in matters before parliament. 
Kua said the court references had a bearing on his clients as the two judges who were implicated in the references were involved in the decision of Dec 12, which reinstated Sir Michael as PM.
The same applied to Sir Arnold who is the rightful attorney general of the country.
Kua said as the attorney general, Sir Arnold was the principal legal advisor of the NEC and had the right to intervene in the proceedings before the court. 
But lawyer Tony Yamarhai representing PM Peter O’Neill said the reference did not concern Sir Michael and Sir Arnold.
Yamarhai said the proceedings dealt with the conduct of judges and its outcome will not affect the two men in anyway.