I laughs at the same edition of the Pos Guria the boys sure did learn the art of shystering if nothing else in the last 30 years.
‘Bogus’ K60m claims thrown out
MORE than K60 million in bogus claims against the state were thrown out of court recently thanks to State-appointed Paraka Lawyers.
Paraka Lawyers had discovered that most of the claims were bogus and the law firm has been dismissing them through the courts.
The firm had saved the state more than K900 million since its engagement over two years ago.
The recent fraudulent claims thrown out of court included a compensation claim by Bunga Land Group for K34 million, a K20.5 million claim by former members of the Fly River Provincial Government and a K7 million claim by villagers from Korekoreto in Eastern Highlands Province.
The Bunga Land Group had taken the state and the National Lands Commission to court on April 2 last year, seeking the enforcement of a purported land compensation award of K34 million which the plaintiffs claimed was awarded to them on June 2000, as compensation for the land on which Bulolo township is located.
But Justice Moses Jalina last Thursday dismissed the claim after being satisfied that the plaintiff’s claim was time-barred and was baseless and disclosed no cause of action against the state.
In the case of the former members of the Fly River Provincial Government, National Court judge Justice Cathy Davani set aside the proceedings in which the plaintiffs had secured a consent judgment for K20.5 million. The consent order was nullified.
The former provincial members, comprising former premier Isidore Kaseng and 24 others, had filed the suit against the state claiming entitlements and salaries to the value of K7.8 million, which was later inflated to K20.5 million in purported consent settlement with the office of the Solicitor-General.
Justice Davani ruled that despite the court’s sanction of the consent orders, the endorsement did not include the consent of other parties, and that the office of the Solicitor-General lacked the powers to settle, except the Attorney General’s Department.
The other bogus claim pursued by plaintiff’s Otti Apio and 510 others for K7 million was also dismissed.
My bold.
Should read saved the aussie taxpayer....