Court strikes out Marape case over a spelling error

AN election petition against Finance Minister and Tari-Pori MP James Marape was dismissed by the Waigani National Court yesterday because of a spelling error made by the petitioner on Marape’s surname.
Justice Jeffrey Shepherd dismissed the petition due to a technical error made by Justin Aluja Haiara, the second runner-up of the Tari-Pori electorate in last year’s general election, when he filed the petition.
Justice Shepherd said James Marape’s name was spelt Marape with a “p” and not “Marabe” with a “b” as how it was written in the petition.
He said according to the electoral common roll for the Tari-Pori district, the MP’s name was enrolled and recorded as Marape.
Justice Shepherd said it was beyond argument that the petition was filed incorrectly.
It was alleged that the winning margin of votes and the total number of votes after the declaration was not stated in the petition as required by law for all election petitions. The court also heard that the petition was filed late after the permitted time frame of 40 days after the declaration had lapsed.
The court heard Marape won with an absolute majority in the first preliminary count.
Marape was then declared as the member elected for the electorate on July 8, 2017.
Marape welcomed the news of his second election petition victory against Haiara.
Marape, who is in Tari, urged Haiara and all other election rivals to put aside their differences and work with him for the good of the district.
Outside his electoral office in Tari, the Finance Minister told supporters and that work must go on.
“I thank my lawyer Robert Leo, of Leo Lawyers, who has been very solid on the bar defending against the two election petitions I had against me,” Marape said from Tari.
“I would also like to thank my people who have always been understanding.
“I am now back home to ensure our Hope Institute is reopened to take back our youths into educational programmes. “In September, I will visit all my people in the electorate to bring them to appreciate peace, education and development.
“I appeal to all (Tari) candidates of 2017, including the two petitioners, for unity in ideas to develop our electorate in the next four years I have left in this term.”