The Supreme Court presiding over the Special Reference filed by the Attorney General Pila Niningi, seeking clarification on the eligibility of convicted criminals to contest the National General Elections has granted leave for four parties to join the proceedings.

Leave was granted on Friday the 13th of May 2022.

The four include, the Public Solicitor, the Speaker of the National Parliament, the Public Prosecutor and Mr Simon Sinai as the Electoral Commissioner.

As defenders of the Constitution, the Public Prosecutor and the Public Solicitor saw interest in the special reference because the questions contained in the Special Reference have a direct impact on the powers, roles and responsibilities of both institutions.

The Public Solicitor, Leslie Mamu cited that the questions raised relate to offences under the Criminal Code and generally criminal law, an area which concerns the Public Solicitor.

Meanwhile for the Electoral Commissioner, it was important that he take part in this Special Reference, because he is in-charge of the overall running of the elections for the National Parliament and the legislative arms of the Local Level Governments.

The outcome of the Special Reference will have a direct impact on the Electoral Commission’s functions.

The Special Reference seeks interpretation on Section 50 and 103 of the Constitution that talks about a citizen’s right to vote and stand for public office and the qualifications for and disqualifications from membership.

The Solicitor General Tauvasa Tanuvasa, representing the Attorney General did not object to the applications.

With leave granted, each of the intervener shall file and serve their statements of response by Tuesday 17th of May 2022.

The Referrer in this matter shall in consultation with the interveners file and serve a Reference Book by the 20th of May for listings.

The matter returns to court on Monday the 23rd of May 2022.

The police hirerachy has released names of the Close Protection Officers who were with the late Deputy Prime Minister, Sam Basil at the time of the accident that claimed his life.

Police Commissioner, David Manning in a statement released last night confirmed that First Constable Neil Maino died 30 minutes after the accident while Sargeant Fredy Setu survived but sustained injuries.

“This is a tragic road accident, police investigations are now underway to establish what happened,” Manning said.

The three men with another officer were traveling to Bulolo in preparation for Nomination on Thursday 12th May 2022, when they collided with an on coming vehicle, an open-back Toyota Land Cruiser.

Police say the Deputy Prime Minister was in the driver’s seat, First Constable Maino sat directly behind the DPM while Sargeant Setu sat on the offside seat.

Police believe the vehicle that collided with the Deputy Prime Minister’s car hit them on the right hand side of the car, badly injuring the DPM and his CPO, Maino.

Sargeant Setu only suffered minor injures and was discharged yesterday afternoon from Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae.

Maino is from a mixed parentage of Northern and Mekeo in Central Province. He joined the Police Force in 2009 and was attached with the National Security Unit of the Special Services Division.

Commissioner Manning has also extended his condolences to the late CPO’s family.

The driver of the vehicle involved in the accident of the Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Bulolo Sam Basil is now in police custody.

According to the Assistant Police Commissioner Northern Command, Peter Guinness, the man is currently detained by the Bulolo Police and will soon be arrested and charged with two counts of traffic accidents.

Charges to be laid against the driver, who is now a suspect in the death of the Bulolo MP are Dangerous Driving Causing Death and Dangerous Driving Causing Grievance Bodily Harm.

According to the police report by Guinness, the driver of the vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser Open back, was driving in the opposite direction, from Lae to Bulolo.

The report stated that the driver suspect was driving at high speed and crashed into the DPM’s vehicle while trying to avoid fallen rocks.

The driver suspect had attempted to apply brakes to his vehicle when he sightted the oncoming vehicle(DPM’s vehicle)but his vehicle could not slow down, appruptly slamming into the DPM’s vehicle with maximum force, hitting the driver’s side and ripping it off.

The DPM and his close protection officer, Neil Maino, lost their lives.

On the vehicle with the DPM were his two CPOs and four civilians one of which was his media officer. The other CPO and the civilians sustained serious injuries and are currently admitted at the Lae International Hospital.

The driver suspect on the other hand was alone in his vehicle, he had no passengers with him. He sustained chest injuries but is ok.

Police Commissioner, David Manning has given a two weeks amnesty period for people in possession of Illegal firearms to surrender them at the nearest police station.

The appeal is part of the enforcement of amendments made to the Firearms Act 2022.

Manning has issued directives for police to arrest individuals in possession of unlicensed or Illegal firearms which under the amended laws carry a life imprisonment from 19th May 2022 onwards.

Previously offenders who are found guilty were given a Maximum term of 10 to 20 years imprisonment.

Changes to the Firearms Act include Life Imprisonment for the following offences if convicted

– Manufacturing of homemade guns;

· Illegal ownership and possession of firearms;

· Illegal possession and use of firearms;

· Illegal possession of prohibited firearm; and

· Ownership and possession of machine guns.

Four men in Lae have been arrested for being in possession of three homemade pistols and in relation to a break and enter and robbery over the weekend.

The arrest follows a search for firearms and ammunitions alleged to be burried at the residence of Huon Gulf’s former District Administrator at Cassowary Road.

According to police, the four suspects were part of a ten men team, who drove into the premises of Asila Security Company at Eriku’s Oleander Street in a blue ten seater LandCruiser on Sunday morning.

The men held up the security guard at gunpoint, tied him up and broke down a grill door before walking straight to the Manager’s Office where the safe was.

The safe contained the company’s confidential documents, cash worth K50 000, firearms and ammunitions.

All items were stolen.

Police say they are aware of where the rest of the suspects

reside and will pay a visit.

Lae’s Metropolitan Commander, Chief Superintendent Chris Kunyanban said Intelligence gathering for the 2022 National General Election is on going and Police will not tolerate anyone trying to build up arms during the election period.

Meanwhile, police located the safe near the bumbu river bank and handed it back to Asila Security Company.

They are yet to retrieve all the items in the safe.

While the four suspects are in police custody, six are still on the run.