Pato’s election petition withdrawn

An election petition challenging Wapenamanda MP Miki Kaeok by Rimbink Pato was withdrawn yesterday at the National Court in Waigani.
Mr Pato’s lawyers were granted leave to withdraw after making an application before Justice Mark Sevua who ordered the petitioner be reimbursed cost of security worth K5,000.
All other costs would be paid by the respective parties themselves.
The court heard that the reason for the withdrawal was in relation to an agreement between Mr Pato and Mr Kaeok in respect of discretionary district funds allocated for the area.
Outside court, Mr Kaeok said that he was happy that both he and Mr Pato had reached an understanding which resulted in the withdrawal of the petition.
He said that he would now concentrate fully to deliver services to his people who have been denied proper representation on the floor of Parliament for the last 15 years.
Mr Kaeok said he was glad of the decision by both parties and called for all to put aside their differences and work together.
He said that the Government had allocated K10 million for the district with projects in place subject to the joint district planning and budget priority committee’s approval.
The JDP and BPC is the body that decides how to use district funds and all proposals go before it for approval.
Mr Kaeok also said that court petitions were not the true decisions of the people.
Meanwhile a three men Supreme Court bench are yet to make a ruling to this petition in respect of a decision of Justice Ambeng Kandakasi who rejected a dismissal application of this petition by Keok’s lawyers.
Wapenamanda MP Miki Keok is seeking to review a decision by National Court judge Justice Ambeng Kandakasi at the Supreme Court in relation to an election petition against him.
Justice Kandakasi rejected an application by Mr Keok to dismiss the election petition against him by Rimbink Pato on grounds that he (Keok) was not served a copy of the petition.
Mr Keok sought review of that decision at the Supreme Court which was argued before a full bench.
Mr Pato’s counsel, Alfred Manase argued that there was no proper procedure for this kind of application by Mr Keok when the petition had already been allowed to go for trial next year.
Mr Manase submitted that Mr Keok should wait until the substantive outcome of the trial before coming back to court to pursue the matter.
He submitted that the application be dismissed.
Mr Pato is disputing the elections for the Wapenamanda Open seat, in Enga and has mounted allegations of illegal practices and hijacking of votes amongst others against member elect, Mr Keok.
A decision has been reserved this Friday.