EC queries trio’s candidacy

THE Electoral Commission (EC) has asked three General Election 2022 (GE22) candidates to show proof that their court convictions and sentences have been quashed by the Supreme Court.
“They are to provide their evidence to us by 4.06pm on Thursday.
“If they fail to do so, their nominations will be rejected,” Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai said.
He said in a media statement that this followed the May 31 Supreme Court judgment that a person could not contest the GE22 if he or she had been convicted after June 25, 2002.
Sinai said the candidates were Ati Wobiro (Independent – Western regional), James Yali (People’s National Congress Party – Madang regional) and Justine Parker (People’s Movement for Change – Anglimp South Waghi). “The EC will reject the candidacy of the trio if they fail to provide evidence that their case falls within the state’s exemptions.
“Their nominations will be rejected under section 87 (2) of the Organic Law on the National and Local Level Government Elections,” he added. He said Wobiro was jailed 14 years for conspiracy to defraud, Yali was jailed 12 years for rape and Parker jailed 13 years for murder.
“The two exceptions to the Supreme Court’s interpretation were unless the conviction and sentence of the candidate were quashed or that the convicted person has been pardoned under Section 151 of the Constitution,” Sinai added.
The Supreme Court ruled that anyone convicted of a crime after June 25, 2002, could not by law contest the GE22, or as an MP.