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By JOSHUA ARLO
EIGHTY-five ballot boxes used in the 2007 National Elections for
the Imbonggu electorate, Southern Highlands province, will be
brought to Mt Hagen, Western Highlands province, for
safekeeping.
This was one of the orders granted by the National Court in Mt
Hagen yesterday to Pila Ninigi, an unsuccessful candidate for
Imbonggu Open seat among others he sought.
The first and second defendants are the Electoral Commission and
Southern Highlands provincial electoral manager David Wakias
while the third and fourth are the provincial police commanders
for Southern Highlands and Western Highlands respectively.
At yesterday’s hearing, all parties were present in court with
Mr Ninigi representing himself.
He is a lawyer by profession and had held senior positions such
as the former SHP administrator and former chairman of Telikom.
He also filed a petition against declared the winner for the
seat prominent businessman Francis Awesa who owns Global
Constructions now currently engaged in a K37 million road
project on the 8km Waigani Drive in Port Moresby.
The petition, filed last Aug 31 at the National Court in Mt
Hagen, disputed the elections held in the electorate on grounds
of alleged errors and omissions of the Electoral Commission and
its officials.
It also alleged irregularities during the voting and counting
process.
Mr Ninigi was questioning the validity of the ballot papers for
ballot box No. 0117 for Yawalangil ward in the electorate which
were declared informal votes.
The 642 ballot papers cast were rejected after presiding officer
Alfred Turi signed three slightly different signatures on the
ballot-papers.
Mr Ninigi said there was no genuine reason or other evidence on
the contrary for the Electoral Commission to declare those 642
ballots informal.
He also alleged that the presence of the Defence Force and other
security personnel deployed in the province was another factor
for the oversight.
At the National Court in Waigani yesterday, Mr Ninigi was
granted leave to proceed ex parte to seek interim orders.
The court ordered that the container located at Mendi police
station containing the Imbonggu ballot-boxes used in the
election be sealed by wielding it at the expense of the
Electoral Commission and Mr Wakias.
The court ordered that the container with all the 85 ballot
boxes be transferred to Mt Hagen police station immediately for
safekeeping.
It further ordered that the Southern Highlands provincial police
commander provide security during transport from Mendi to Mt
Hagen.
In Mt Hagen, the Western Highlands provincial police commander
will provide security to the ballot boxes pending the outcome of
the petition.
All defendants had been restrained from accessing the container
pending the outcome of the petition.
The case returns to court next week.
 
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