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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

State’s lawyer keeps plans ‘confidential’

By SAMUEL RAITANO

LAWYERS representing the state will not disclose how the attorney-general will serve a copy of the amended Supreme Court reference by the East Sepik provincial government to Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, The National reports.
Lawyer Greg Shepard, of Young and Williams Lawyers, is representing Attorney-General Dr Allan Marat.
Shepard said disclosure of such information, though in this case was of public interest, would touch on lawyer-client confidentiality.
When asked what would happen if nobody was allowed to visit Sir Michael, he said the court would direct them on that matter.
Marat yesterday said he and his lawyers would ensure Monday's Supreme Court directions to serve court documents on East Sepik regional MP Sir Michael and four other interveners would be executed. 
"It was a Supreme Court direction and it will be done between now and next Tuesday," Marat said.
He said that it would be done as soon as the sealed court directions were received by his lawyers.
The Supreme Court had on Monday ruled that the deadline for the service of documents to concerned parties should be by the end of business on Friday.
The court had ordered that the attorney-general served the documents on allthose who were interested to join. On Monday, seven interested parties were named. The court ruled that any other party interested to join should do so by tomorrow.
Sir Michael, who is sick and under medical care in a hospital in Singapore, would have to be served the reference.
Sir Michael is East Sepik regional MP. It was his post that was allegedly stripped triggering the special reference.
Sources at the attorney-general's office said certain personnel could be sent to Singapore today to serve the reference.
It was understood that even if Sir Michael was not well to study the reference, he would have to appoint a lawyer on his behalf to do it for him, and evidence should be provided of that.
Marat said lawyers would fly to Singapore if that was what it took to serve the court documents

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