Allegations of controlled voting emerge in WSP

WEST Sepik regional candidate Gabriel Ramoi has raised concerns over alleged controlled voting incidents in Aitape, West Sepik province.
Ramoi said that ward 21 councilor John Noli of Suain village and a group of men were unceremoniously removed from the polling venue in Deia village when they arrived and took some pictures. Those who removed them included a polling official and two Aitape police personnel.
According to a signed statement, Noli said what he and his men had seen that day amounted to controlled voting by officials associated with a candidate.
He said among those conducting polling in Deia village that day was a known close associate and official of the candidate.
“Although we were assured by ward 20 councillor Ignas Bem, the candidate’s relative and former councillor Clement Runu that the elections would be free from foul play, the actions of the policemen and a supporter that day were the opposite,” Noli said.
“Voters would collect their ballot papers from the polling official and hand them over to three close associates of a candidate who would mark them out and hand them back to the voter to drop into the ballot box.
“During all this time, we had observed that none of the voters said anything to the people who were filling out their ballot papers.
“This is very suspicious.
“When I took pictures on what was going on, I was forcefully removed from the polling venue along with those who had accompanied me there.”.
Security personnel and electoral officers had been notified and were investigating.