POLEWARA FREE TO PERFORM AS PNGDF COMMANDER

Picture Caption: REAR Admiral Philip Polewara

REAR Admiral Philip Polewara is free to perform his duties as the Commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) as per the National Court decision on Tuesday, the 11th of March 2025.

The National Court in Waigani, presided by single judge justice Oagile Dingake upheld Polewara’s submissions and ruled that the judicial review proceedings filed by former PNGDF commander Mark Goina was incompetent and thus, the case was dismissed to its entirety.

The Court also ordered Goina to pay costs of all parties to be taxed if not agreed.

Ex-Commander Goina pursued the proceedings after the National Executive Council (NEC) revoked his appointment in 2024, and promoted Polewara to new ranks and to his initial appointment as the PNGDF boss for the next four years.

Mr Goina as the plaintiff, listed Prime Minister James Marape as the first defendant, NEC as the second, the Attorney General as the nominal defendant for and on behalf of the Governor General pursuant to section 3 of the claims by and against the State Act 1996 as the third defendant, Public Service Commission as the fourth defendant, Daniel Rolpagarea in his capacity as the State Solicitor as the fifth defender and the State as the sixth defender.

Polweara’s legal counsel Emmanuel Issac made two submissions that the case itself is incompetent and must be dismissed for it depended on wrong National Court Rule (Order 16 Rule 1 (1)) than Order 16 Rule 5 (1).
Judge Justice Dingake upheld both submissions.