Judge says Attorney-General had not understood court order
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Judge says Attorney-General had not understood court order
PORT MORESBY: Justice David Cannings says an affidavid filed by
Justice and Attorney-General Department secretary Dr Eric Kwa showed that he (Kwa)
had not understood the court’s order.
The judge made the remark in the National Court in
Waigani yesterday when a human rights matter filed by Dr Tho Yasauce returned
for compliance check.
Justice Cannings also warned the Parole Board members
to comply with his court order or be charged with contempt.
Details of the court proceedings were published by The National:
Cannings
criticises Kwa
January 28, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
By CLARISSA MOI
JUSTICE David Cannings says an affidavit filed by Justice and
Attorney-General Department secretary Dr Eric Kwa showed that he (Kwa) had not
understood the court’s order.
The judge made the remark in the Waigani National Court yesterday when a human
rights matter filed by Dr Theo Yasause returned for compliance check.
Justice Cannings also warned the parole board members to comply with his court
order or be charged with contempt.
He had earlier ordered that the chief parole officer and the board chairman to
appear in court to sort out the remaining issues regarding compliance with the
order.
Yesterday, a representative from the board appeared in court.
“You need to comply with the court order. If you do not understand the order,
consult your board’s lawyer,” Justice Cannings said.
The board’s lawyer informed the court that Kwa had filed an affidavit.
Justice Cannings responded and said evidence from the affidavit showed that Kwa
had not understood the court’s order.
The board’s lawyer also raised concerns about costs involved with the court
orders.
“I am not interested in how much it costs,” Justice Cannings retorted.
“All those have been considered by the court and I have made an order. If that
is not complied with by Feb 28, all the members of the board will be charged
with contempt of court.
“I do not want to charge anybody with contempt of court.
“I just want the court order to be complied with,” he stressed.
Yasause, from East Sepik’s Yangoru, is serving a 30-year-sentence for the
murder of Aquila Emil, a rugby league star, in 2011.
The court on Jan 22 ordered that his date of eligibility for parole was Jan 29
last year.
On Oct 4, 2021, the board refused his application on the grounds that he was
not eligible for parole until March 30.
Yasause filed another human rights application seeking a declaration that the
board had erred in law and that his right to full protection of the law had been
breached.
Last month, Justice Cannings ruled that the board had erred in refusing parole
for Yasause.
“Every prisoner has the right under Section 37 of the Constitution to the full
protection of the law and this includes the right to know with certainty their
date of eligibility for parole and due date of release from custody,” he said.
Justice Cannings then ordered that the board must meet, re-hear and
re-determine the application that was refused on Oct 4.
The matter returns to court for compliance check again on March 4.
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