25 Oct 2006

New Caledonia defers sentencing in USTKE union leader's case

4:39 pm on 25 October 2006

A court in New Caledonia has ruled that the leader of the Kanak USTKE union is due to re-appear in court at the end of next month.

Gerard Jodar has been ordered to appear in court on charges related to both a port blockade in June and a protest outside the French high commission last December.

Our correspondent, Tuo Chinula, says a final judgement is expected to be made on November the 28th.

"Gerard Jodar appeared again in court yesterday. He had appereared previously a month ago. The legal sentence the judge wanted to pronounce is a short prison sentence, but Gerard Jodar's lawyer has asked that the final judgement be put back to the end of next month."

Tuo Chinula