Two PNG MPs James Lakea and John Hickey to face trial

TWO more Parliamen-tarians will front up at the Waigani National Court to face misconduct in office charges.

Bogia MP John Hickey and Kagua Erave MP James Lagea were referred to the Public Prosecutor by the Ombudsman Commission on misconduct in office allegations early this year.

Last Friday, Public Prose-cutor Pondros Kaluwin requested the Chief Justice to appoint two separate leadership tribunals to inquire in to the allegations against the two leaders.

According to the Public Prosecutor, both MPs were referred to his office by the Ombudsman Commission on allegations that they failed to lodge financial returns to the Office of Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission after winning the 2012 General Election.

Mr Kaluwin, in two separate statements, said the two MPs had allegedly breached Section 89 of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates 2003 (OLIPAC) when they did not lodge their returns to the Office of the Political Parties and Candidates Commission

Mr Kaluwin said he has perused the two files and found that there is sufficient, cogent and credible evidence to refer the matters to an appropriate Leadership Tribunal.

The Chief Justice will now proceed to appoint tribunals to inquire into allegations against the two MPs.

Source: ONE PNG /Post Courier