Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Court ruling on Vanuatu PM’s election eligibility due next week

Posted at 23:22 on 01 February, 2013 UTC

The court ruling on the eligibility of Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Sato Kilman to contest the recent election has been deferred to next week.

Port Vila MP, Willie Jimmy has filed a petition against Mr Kilman claiming that the Prime Minister did not clear his alleged outstanding debt of about US$120,000 in government rent before he contested the October election.

The Daily Post reports the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, John Obed Alilee saying that the court will hand down its decision next week based on preliminary points relating to the petition.

At the preliminary hearing earlier in the week, the Attorney General’s representative told a packed Supreme Court that Mr Kilman had a case to answer.

Reports from Port Vila suggest that political manoeuvrings are underway, with some members of government being lured by the Opposition, in anticipation of the court ruling.