HIGH COURT OF SOLOMON ISLANDS: PRESS RELEASE
The Chief Justice Sir Albert R Palmer is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Puisne Judges of the High Court of Solomon Islands.
They are Augustine Sylver AULANGA (Principal Magistrate/Commissioner High Court) and Michael Collin Pitakaka (Principal of Michael Pitakaka Law Chamber) who will soon take their Oaths of Office before the Governor-General of Solomon Islands.
The High Court continues to experience a heavy work load of civil cases, resulting in a backlog and delay in the hearing, listing and timely disposal of cases.
It is hoped that with their experience in the hearing and dealing with civil cases they will be able to use that background knowledge, understanding and skills to alleviate the issue of delay in the hearing of civil cases.
Their appointments are timely and we look forward to positive outcomes in the reduction of the civil backlog in the High Court.
Puisne Judge Augustine Sylver Aulanga
Augustine Aulanga is a former Principal Magistrate. He has been working as a Magistrate since 2015. Before becoming a Puisne Judge, he has been working as one of the Commissioners of the High Court of Solomon Islands with the Civil Division since 17th November 2023. He hails from Feranagono village in East Fataleka, Malaita Province. He holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honors, from the University of Papua New Guinea in 2008 and a Master of Laws in Dispute Resolution from the University of New South Wales in Australia in 2020 under an Australian Government funded Scholarship.
In 2020, he was appointed to head the Civil Division at the Central Magistrates’ Court. He has recently been awarded a provisional accredited Mediator certificate by the ADR Committee of the Supreme and National Courts of Papua New Guinea under the Pacific Centre for Judicial Excellence in Papua New Guinea.
As a former Commissioner of the High Court, he has been performing essentially the duties and tasks required of a Puisne Judge presiding over a vast variety of civil cases at the High Court. He looks forward to discharging the duties required of him in his new role as a Puisne Judge and to work together with the current Judges and staff of the High Court in the delivery of quality justice to the people of Solomon Islands.
Puisne Judge Michael Collin Pitakaka
Michael C Pitakaka is from Alugapa Village, Luti, South Choiseul, Choiseul Province.
He commenced his tertiary studies in 1993 and 1995 at the University of the South Pacific by extension and on campus in Honiara. He later attend Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia doing his Bachelor of Laws from 1996 – 1999. His legal career path started with Pacific Lawyers, as an Articled Clerk from 1999 – 2002. He was admitted as a Legal Practitioner in the High Court of Solomon Islands in 2002.
From 2002 – 2007 he continued with Pacific Lawyers law firm.
In 2007 – 2009 he joined the Solomon Islands Law Reform Commission, before establishing his own law firm, Michal Pitakaka Law Chambers in 2009 to the present. He practices in both criminal and civil jurisdiction and brings with him a wealth of experience, knowledge, understanding and maturity from a long and outstanding career in the legal sector.
The National Judiciary is pleased to welcome the appointments of Mr. Aulanga and Mr. Pitakaka as Puisne Judges to the High Court of Solomon Islands and looks forward to their invaluable contribution and service in strengthening the work of the courts at these challenging times to deliver quality justice to the people of Solomon Islands. We wish them well as they step up to their new roles and duties on the High Court bench.