Ballot box’s contents set on fire following queries by scrutineers

By JUNIOR UKAHA
THE contents of one ballot box were set on fire and another ballot box was disputed after scrutineers said they did not know when they were filled.
The scrutineers representing candidates in the Moresby Northwest and the NCD regional seat said they were not present when the boxes were filled.
The disputed boxes were 34 and 109 for the Moresby Northwest open.
Returning officer Joseph Fraghi and his deputy Karo Tiana burnt the papers in box 109. Box 34 was spared and counted after the polling official for the disabled people Benson Tegia explained to the scrutineers that there were other scrutineers and security personnel present when the disabled people went to vote.
“If you (scrutineers) are confused, then you were not there when voting took place,” Tegia said. 
Box 34 was taken from the Disabled Centre in Hohola where disabled people voted. The disabled people were given a special day to vote.
Box 109 was taken from the Boroko police station where eight policemen who did not have the chance to vote because of job commitments voted.
Before counting started, about 50 scrutineers gathered at the Institute of Public Administration premises and demanded that the container containing the ballot boxes be opened and the number of boxes be counted first.
The scrutineers alleged that four extra boxes were hidden in the container and should be removed.
They said they were not allowed into the storage facility and did not know if the right number of boxes were kept in the container.
Fraghi ordered his officers to open the container and recount the number of boxes.
The wards and box numbers were: ward 1 (Boxes 1-18), ward 7 (boxes 19-43), ward 8 (boxes 44-57), ward 10 (boxes 58-81) and ward 11 (boxes 82-108).
NCD-Central commander Francis Tokura, who was there with his officers, told the scrutineers not to cause trouble.
“Now that you have confirmed the number of ballot boxes we don’t want any disturbances from you,” he said.
Tokura told the scrutineers that the court was the right place to take their grievances to and not the counting venue. Counting eventually started in the afternoon.