Hagen mayor ousted

MT HAGEN city lord mayor, Titus Doa, has been replaced by his deputy, Jacob Michael, who will be acting on the position for the next two weeks.
This was decided during a vote by the 11 members  of the city council board, including Doa, during their first meeting held at the Wamp Nga Haus yesterday.
The members of the Mt Hagen local level government said Doa was convicted by the district  court  and  at  the same  time breached  the  Organic Law and could not remain as the lord mayor.
They said according to the law, a person convicted could not hold public office and the board members had the power to re-elect a new one.
Spokesperson, Cr John Soti Tipin, said because of  the conviction and other allegations, Doa was  ousted and Michael was elected as the current acting lord mayor with a majority of seven votes.
He  said   Michael  would be acting on the position until after 14-days where they would sit  again  to vote for a new lord mayor.
He also claimed that the meeting was also their first for the year, even though it was a requirement  that  quarterly   meetings  should  be held.
Doa encountered an accident and was charged in July with driving an uninsured and unregistered motor vehicle without due care and attention, while under the influence of liquor.
In an accident report, Doa said the vehicle had faced mechanical problems beyond his control because salt had been poured into the engine, as  well as other faults and the vehicle  had been  fully serviced at work shops three times.
However, last Tuesday Doa pleaded guilty on  all four charges against him in July before the Mt Hagen district court and was fined K1,000.