EC probes ex-convicts

By REBECCA KUKU and LULU MAGINDE
PAPUA New Guinea Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai has finally publicly announced that his commission is taking action to disqualify candidates who have been convicted of a crime after June 25, 2002.
This comes after Chief Justice and Acting Governor-General Sir Gibbs Salika and Solicitor-General Tauvasa Tanuvasa publicly told Sinai to do his job and comply with the May 31 Supreme Court decision that those with criminal records were ineligible by law to contest in General Election 2022 (GE22).
Sinai had remained mum on the court decision until yesterday.
At least two former Members of Parliament (MPs) who were convicted after June 22 have been nominated to contest in GE22.
Another four former MPs were also convicted but were later cleared upon appeal.
Sinai said: “Those with criminal records and had been nominated for GE22 will be disqualified. We are now going through the full list of candidates for verification with the appropriate authorities.
“Those confirmed with criminal records will then be removed from contesting in GE22.” Sinai said after the verification exercise, “we will then know how many candidates are not eligible to contest and they will be dropped.
“But it is a long process. We are working on it and once we have the list of names of convicts or ex-convicts, we will disqualify them as per the ruling,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jiwaka, East New Britain and Madang election returning officers told The National that they were awaiting instructions from Sinai on the status of certain candidates.
Jiwaka election manager Rossie Pandihau said based on the ruling, “we have to wait for the electoral commissioner’s instruction, if any”.
East New Britain assistant elections manager Theresa Sam said: “I am now not sure how to proceed with one of the nominated candidates. We are all just waiting for further instructions, if any.”
Madang elections manager Sponsa Navi declined to comment on one of the candidates, saying the electoral commissioner would be the best person to clarify.
Tanuvasa has confirmed that unless a candidate was given a free pardon from the Power of Mercy Committee, while serving time in prison or are cleared of all charges in court, they were not allowed to contest in GE22.