Papua New Guinea’s judiciary is mourning the death of one of its most senior and respected judges, Justice Ere Kariko, who passed away on yesterday (Tuesday) evening, August 18, 2026, after a short illness.
Justice Kariko’s death marks the loss of a distinguished judicial officer whose career spanned decades and whose contribution to the administration of justice left a significant mark on Papua New Guinea’s legal system.
He was a long-serving member of the National and Supreme Courts and, at the time of his death, was among the most senior judges on the Bench. The PNG Judiciary’s 2026 records list him as the 10th most senior serving judge, with the title Justice Ere Kariko CBE, MBE.
Justice Kariko was appointed a judge of the National and Supreme Courts for a 10-year term commencing on July 8, 2019, under an appointment by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.
His judicial career, however, had begun much earlier. A Papua New Guinea Centre for Judicial Excellence profile records that he completed his LLB at the University of Papua New Guinea in 1987 and was admitted to the Bar in 1988. It also identifies him as a judge from 2010, reflecting more than 16 years of judicial service.
For many years, Justice Kariko was a familiar figure in the country’s highest court, sitting on important constitutional, criminal, civil and electoral matters.
He was also involved in strengthening professional standards within the legal fraternity. In 2016, while admitting new lawyers to practice, he reminded them to remain focused, prepare properly and maintain the standards expected of the profession.
His name also appears prominently in the development of judicial institutions, including as chairman of the Judiciary Complaints Committee.
Justice Kariko’s passing leaves a significant vacancy on the Bench and brings to an end the career of a judge who devoted much of his professional life to the law and the service of justice.
His legacy will live on through the judgments he delivered, the lawyers and judicial officers he guided, and the contribution he made to the development of Papua New Guinea’s justice system.
The nation now mourns a senior jurist whose life was closely intertwined with the law and the judiciary he served for so many years.
Rest in peace, Justice Ere Kariko.
Leave a Reply