By Serah Aupong at the Waigani National Court
The Leadership Tribunal hearing for Vanimo Green MP, Belden Namah, will resume again at 11am after being adjourned for one hour this morning.
Upon convening earlier this morning, Public Prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin was in the process of handing over his reference to the tribunal Chair, when Namah’s Counsel, Greg Sheppard, objected to it saying the jurisdiction of the tribunal was in question.
Sheppard said there was reasonable apprehension of bias because the tribunal was appointed by the Chief Justice, who was also involved in it, while having administrative control over the administration of the court house where the tribunal was being held.
Tribunal Chairman, Justice Goodwin Poole, noted Sheppard’s objection, while describing the allegations as ‘fairly grave’.
Sheppard said that although nothing of the sort was happening, there was apprehension of them happening as the tribunal was also involved in an active litigation against Namah, and that the counsel representing the Tribunal and the Public Prosecutor, was the same.
Public Prosecutor Kaluwin therefore requested a one hour adjournment to look at submission before the tribunal would
