Soso fined K15,0000

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By DAPHNE WANI and  DEMAS TIEN
EASTERN Highlands Governor Julie Soso was yesterday fined K15,000 for contempt of court.
Justice David Cannings, Justice Terence Higgins and Justice Lawrence Kangwia in the Supreme Court ordered Soso to pay the fine using her own money and not public funds.
The court ordered that Soso pay the fine by August 31 or she would be imprisoned for six months.
The court considered Soso’s submission that a fine of K10,000 to K15,000 would be a sufficient punishment and that the registrar of the Supreme Court not seek a custodial penalty.
The court upheld Soso’s submission that the nature and seriousness of the contempt meant that committal to custody was not necessary.
The court ruled that K15,000 fine was a substantial amount to signify the gravity of the offence.
The judges stated in their 15-page unanimous-decision that they were impressed by Soso’s statement that she would not use public funds to pay the fine.
The court ordered that Soso’s bail money be refunded on presentation of the receipt for the fine.
Soso was found guilty of disobeying an order of the Supreme Court.
The order dated February 15 restored Solomon Tato to office as the provincial administrator and required that the respondents, acting provincial administrator Samson Akunai, Soso and the provincial executive council allow him (Tato) to resume office pending the outcome of his appeal which he had filed challenging his suspension from office.
Soso disobeyed the order by seeking to frustrate the implementation of the order. She did so by writing a letter to Tato the next day, February 16, instructing him to step down from the office as provincial administrator.
Soso expressed genuine remorse and made a full apology in court for her actions.
She had no prior convictions and was highly regarded in her community, with a long record of committed public service, as well as women’s leader, her lawyer said.
The court found that Soso’s contempt was not intentional.
“In view of the nature and seriousness of the contempt and the lack of strong intention to interfere with the due administration of justice and the mitigating factors outweigh the aggravating factors; committal to custody was not necessary,” the court said
Outside court Soso welcomed the court decision and fine instead of jail. Soso said she would pay the fine today.
“I want to clear my name and work with provincial leaders, including the provincial administrator Solomon Tato, to serve the people of Eastern Highlands and let service delivery continue to flow into the eight districts,” she said.
“Now that the contempt decision has been made, I would like to tell the people of Eastern Highlands that this is a new beginning.”
“We have to forget the past and work together and move forward.”