By JAMES APA GUMUNO
The returning officer for Dei electorate in Western Highlands province Steven Korowa told court yesterday votes in two ballots boxes for the electorate were not counted because of illegal voting, and rejected suggestions he had taken sides with candidate Puri Ruing, who won the seat in last year’s general election.
Mr Korowa was giving evidence in the ongoing hearing of the election petition by former prime minister Paias Wingti, disputing the election of Tom Olga, who unseated him in a close race.
While in the witness stand, lawyer Alfred Manase, representing Mr Wingti, put to him that he (Mr Korowa) had taken sides with Mr Ruing because he was married to a woman from Mr Ruing’s tribe and that his mother was also from that tribe.
Mr Manase contended that Mr Korowa refused to listen to his presiding officers and also wrote dates on the complaints letters received from the candidates to make sure that Mr Ruing won the general election.
But Mr Korowa denied this saying that he did not have any relationship with Mr Ruing, and did not know that the MP’s mother was from that area.
He told the court that he wrote dates on the complaints to mark the time he received them.
Mr Korowa told the court that he had order ed that votes in two ballot boxes from Mala 2 polling area not to be counted because the marking of ballot papers were done at night inside a house on July 6 using lights from a generator.
He said he made this decision after interviewing members of polling team 25 and 26.
He also relied on reports from polling officials Timothy Mel from team 26 and James Meta from team 25, who said they were under threat and had to conduct polling at night.
Initially, four ballot boxes from Mala 1 and Mala 2 were disputed at the counting centre by the scrutinizers on July 20, but after Mr Korowa interviewed the polling officials he allowed the two ballot boxes for Mala 1 to be counted.
Mr Korowa was also taken to task for sending the polling team to the area late on July 5, forcing another day of polling there.
But he said that was because he received materials late, and it was not by design.
But his statement was not consistent with that of his assistant Ben Mark, who had earlier told the court that ballot papers were transported to the area on July 4.
The case continues today.