North-Fly MP Boka Kondra’s appeal, which is before the Supreme Court, is on the fast track list and will be prioritised so the substantive matter comes to an end.
The case returned for directions on Thursday afternoon before Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia.
He directed parties in the case to return to court on Monday, July 18, and settle index books in the appeal before a hearing date is allocated for the appeal to be heard.
Leave was granted by a three-judge Supreme Court bench on June 21 to hear the appeal. A stay was also granted on that day against the decision of the National Court on March 1, dismissing his judicial review.
The stay on June 21 also puts on halt the decision of the Leadership Tribunal on May 29, 2015, which found him guilty of six allegations of misconduct in office.
With the 2017 elections being only 13 months away, the full court agreed to hear Kondra’s appeal while taking into consideration that the people of North-Fly should be represented in parliament through a leader.
Kondra, however, by operation of law, remains suspended from office as an MP following the commencement of the Leadership Tribunal against him on February 18, 2015.
That appeal will come before the same judges consisting of Justices George Manuhu, Allan David and Hitelai Polume-Kiele.
On April 27, 2015, the Leadership Tribunal found Kondra guilty to six counts of misconduct in office.
He was found guilty of applying DSIP funds to pay for his office rental in Kiunga, to pay for his family accommodation in Port Moresby and settling a personal debt from 2007, prior to his election into office.
The tribunal found all these payments were made from the district treasury account when the Member was already receiving allowance for accommodation and office rental.
On May 29, 2015, Tribunal members Justice Salatiel Lenalia and senior magistrates Ignatius Kurei and Rosie Johnston recommended the leader to be dismissed from office.
On July 14, 2015, a stay was granted at the National Court against the tribunal’s decision recommending Kondra’s dismissal from office.
This stay was dismissed when the judicial review was thrown out on March 1.