Suspended Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd Managing Director Wapu Sonk says he has withdrawn court proceedings against the KPHL Board challenging his suspension.
Mr Sonk says he has withdrawn OS No. 175 and OS No. 176 of 2025 to begin judicial review proceedings.
In a statement released tonight, Mr Sonk said OS No. 176 was originally filed to challenge his suspension as Managing Director of Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited (KPHL) by the board led by Gerea Aopi. He maintains that the Aopi Board was unlawfully appointed and acted outside the law.
Kumul Petroleum Trustee, Prime Minister James Marape, had applied to join both proceedings, asserting that he appointed the Aopi Board and had a direct interest.
On legal advice, Mr. Sonk said the judicial review is the proper avenue to challenge the Trustee’s decision, particularly for alleged non-compliance with the appointment process under the KPHL Authorization Act of 2015.
According to Mr. Sonk, a judicial review will allow the court to assess the legality of the Trustee’s actions and seek declarations that the appointment of the Aopi Board and all subsequent decisions, including his suspension, are unlawful and invalid.
He clarified that the withdrawal of the two cases did not amount to acceptance of his suspension, but is instead a
strategic legal decision. “I continue to recognize the functioning Yaru Board and reject the authority of the purported Aopi Board, which was unlawfully constituted,” Mr Sonk said.
Currently, two boards are claiming authority over KPHL: the Yaru Board and the Aopi Board. Mr. Sonk said all Papua New Guineans, including board members and the Trustee, must understand that the Trustee’s powers are fiduciary and must be exercised lawfully.
“Corporate governance must be protected from political interference, and the courts are the appropriate venue to resolve such disputes,” Mr. Sonk said.