THE TOKAUT BLOG
Petition to establish a Leadership Tribunal for Michael Nali
PNGi has recently concluded a three-part profile of veteran MP and Minister for Works, Michael Nali.
The investigation has revealed that there are outstanding charges of misappropriation against Mr. Nali, relating to two separate sums of public money, K50,000 and K460,000.
Mr. Nali was originally found guilty on both counts by a Leadership Tribunal, but those verdicts were overturned on appeal because of a procedural error in the proceedings. The National Court ordered the charges be re-tried before a new tribunal, but Mr Nali’s defeat in the 2007 elections saw him fall outside the ambit of the Leadership Code and, apparently, evade any further action.
Mr Nali’s victory in the 2017 election though puts him back under the remit of the Leadership Code.
In May, it was announced a new Tribunal is being convened for Gulf Governor, Chris Haiveta under similar circumstances.
In the interests of good governance it is vitally important the public has trust in its political leaders and in the interests of justice, Mr Nali should be given his day in court and the opportunity to clear his name.
PNGi is now calling on members of the public to sign a letter to the Ombudsman Commission calling for a new Leadership Tribunal to be requested for Mr Nali, as ordered by the National Court.
Signing the letter needs just a couple of moments of your time and is completely confidential – your name will not be publicly revealed.
Letter to the Ombudsman Commission
Chief Ombudsman Michael Dick
Ombudsman Commission
Third Floor, Petromin Haus,
Hubert Murray Highway,
PO Box 1831
PORT MORESBY 121
National Capital District
Dear Sir,
IN THE MATTER OF MICHAEL NALI AND THE LEADERSHIP TRIBUNAL
We the undersigned concerned citizens and friends of Papua New Guinea are writing to you to respectfully ask that a Leadership Tribunal be requested to inquire into outstanding misconduct allegations against Michael Nali.
You will recall that in 2004 Mr Nali was found guilty of misappropriation by a Leadership Tribunal and dismissed from office.
That decision of the Tribunal was then challenged through the courts and in 2006 the National Court overturned the Tribunal decision based on apprehended bias. The Court ordered a new Leadership Tribunal be appointed to re-hear the charges.
According to the public record, that new Tribunal was never appointed and in 2007, Mr Nali lost his Parliamentary seat meaning he was no longer subject to the Leadership Code.
However, in 2017 Mr Nali was re-elected to Parliament and is now again subject to the Code.
We also note that in May this year it was announced that Chris Haiveta will face a Leadership Tribunal for misconduct, allegedly committed during a previous term in office between 1993 and 2003.
In Mr Haiveta’s case his original Leadership Tribunal, appointed in October 2006, could not complete its enquires because Mr Haiveta lost his Parliamentary seat in the 2007 election and therefore was no longer subject to the Leadership Code.
This is entirely analogous to the situation concerning Mr Nali who also lost his seat in the 2007 election and who only returned to Parliament in 2017.
In the interests of justice and in accordance with the Constitution and the earlier decision of the National Court, we the undersigned respectfully ask that you request the Public Prosecutor to appoint a new Leadership Tribunal to hear the misconduct allegations against Mr Nali.
Yours faithfully