Court of Appeal

Mr Bulu had sought a search warrant for the home of the Director General of the Ministry of Finance, Letlet August.

But the warrant was granted by the Magistrate's Court, not the Supreme Court, as the law requires.

The judges declared the search warrant unlawful and ordered Mr Bulu to pay Mr August $US1533 dollars.

Five judges heard the appeal on Monday which was centered around the word "absence".

The urgent application appeals the decision of the Supreme Court on the election petition of 19 Members of Parliament including Prime Minister Bob Loughman and Deputy Prime Minister, Ishmael Kalsakau.

The 19 MPs had challenged Shadrack's actions in his capacity as the Speaker, claiming only the Supreme Court has the right to declare the seat of a member of parliament vacant, not the Speaker.

Salwai was handed a two year suspended sentence in February after he was convicted of perjury.

He is appealing against his conviction, which is being heard this week.

In rejecting the application, the judges said the case was important and needed to be heard.

Photo: Supplied Caption: Charlot Salwai with his legal counsel Daniel Yawah

The Parliamentary Entitlements Committee, which has MPs sitting on it, voted last year to make MPs' salaries tax free.