12-12-2011, 03:05 PM
My first post on SH. You always remember your first! Sure looking like an O'Neill victory. Things could get quite ugly in PM is Somare won't take no for an answer.
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Security tight as court outcome looms
Monday, 12 December 2011
THE Supreme Court verdict on whether Sir Michael Somare should be reinstated as Papua New Guinea’s rightful prime minister is due to be handed down in Port Moresby at 2pm local time today. The city has been calm this morning.
According to an 11am report from security provider G4S, which was made more widely available by the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce, Waigani was packed with vehicles and people.
“Police security is tight and once again the roundabout at the end of Sir John Guise Drive is closed off,” G4S said.
“We would suggest this is an area to avoid if you really do not need to be there.”
The long-awaited court outcome on the controversial August 2 parliament vote which made Peter O’Neill prime minister was expected to be handed down on Friday, but was delayed until today.
The defence team for the O’Neill government ministers in the case triggered the delay by providing three affidavits that Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia secretly met Sir Michael’s son and former public enterprises minister Arthur at the Ela Beach Hotel after 2am on November 4.
However, the AAP has since detailed how that attempt to undermine the court case failed.
Injia reportedly said the affidavits would not be considered and the three men all claimed they did not think anything of this secret meeting they witnessed “until they'd told their wives the next morning".
This response, coupled with the situation that none of the affidavits were sworn in by a court officer, reportedly brought laughs to the courtroom.
The National also visited the hotel and discovered its pokies parlour closed at 10pm and does not serve late diners.
Arthur Somare told the newspaper the claimed secret meeting was a total lie as he does not drink, play pokies or stay up late at hotels or nightclubs.
He further said the closest meeting he had with the chief justice was at the court house in the public gallery.