Tribunal urged to impose fine on MP

PUBLIC Prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin has urged a leadership tribunal to impose a fine on suspended Telefomin MP Solan Mirisim who admitted to declaring false and misleading information in his annual statements for 2011/2012 and 2012/2013.
Kaluwin made this recommendation in his submissions on penalty before the leadership tribunal comprising Justice Les Gavara-Nanu, Magistrate Josephine Kilage and Magistrate Mark Selefkariu in Port Moresby on Friday.
Kaluwin told the tribunal that the appropriate penalty for this case was a fine.
“The only allegation he admitted to and was found guilty of, we submit that there is a serious culpability on this part of the leader in submitting false information in his annual statement.
“There is no one to blame other than himself,” Kaluwin said.
“The tribunal must give effect to the intention of the leadership code and impose a penalty that will serve the purpose of this code that was established.
“The penalty must reflect the intention of the law as described by section 27 of the Constitution.”
Kaluwin said considering the circumstances of the case, the submission of false, misleading or incomplete information had been proven and admitted to and as such caused no harm or injury to anyone or the office the leader held.
Greg Sheppard, from Young and William Lawyers representing Mirisim, in his submission, said the misleading information Mirisim admitted to and was found guilty of was concerned with the wrong birth dates of his wife and children stated on his 2013 and 2014 annual statements.
“It’s just birth dates of his wife, children which are personal that cause or can cause no injury to anyone or the public and the office he held,” Sheppard said.
“There is no serious negligence to public office or to any individual.”
The tribunal is expected to hand down its decision on penalty on Dec 2.