Task Force Sweep to know fate in court today

THE National Court is expected to hear arguments from all parties today on whether the temporary order obtained by Investigation Task Force Sweep Team stopping the State from suspending the team will continue or be set aside.

The order obtained by the team in a hearing in the absence of the other parties a fortnight ago at the National Court temporarily freezes the decision of the National Executive Council that  disbanded the sweep team to acrually being actioned.

The court, while granting the temporary order, directed that all parties have to turn up in court and argue whether the temporary order should continue or be set aside, while waiting for the main he

The matter returned last week for all parties to make submissions but a separate issue arose where the court was informed that the state through its agents had prepared instruments to suspend the Sweep Team  chairman Sam Koim.

Mr Koims lawyer, Mack Nale, applied to the court for a further order to stop the state from taking any actions against Mr Koim.

He submitted that the move to have Mr Koim suspended or terminated as Sweep Team’s chairman was not proper and would defeat the whole purpose of the current judicial review proceedings.

Presiding judge Justice Leslie Gavara-Nanu agreed and granted the restraining order after weighing the objections by the defence lawyers representing NEC and Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

The defense lawyers were also not prepared at the time to argue on the continuation of the initial order and asked the court for an adjournment.

The court therefore adjourned to today for all parties to properly present their submissions on both orders obtained by the sweep team.

PNG Today / Post Courier