Ipatas petition deferred

 By PHILIP KEPSON

THE election petition hearing against Enga Governor Peter Ipatas was adjourned to a date yet to be set at the request of lawyers representing different parties in the case.

The Court of Disputed Returns in Wabag was informed on Tuesday when it sat to hear the petition that there was a second petition against the defendant (Ipatas) by another losing candidate Nathan Pyare, which did not go through the preliminary hearing process.

The first petition was lodged against the defendant by runner-up Sandy Talita, which was set to be heard yesterday

Electoral Commission lawyer Ray William and the defendant’s lawyer David Dotaona told the court that they had agreed with the petitioner’s lawyer Christine Copland to amalgamate the two petitions with Justice Collin Makail, who is in charge of election petitions.

Dotaona said it was difficult for him and the Electoral Commission to handle two petitions against their client at the same time.

Copland said besides agreeing to amalgamate the petitions, she made an application for a change of venue from Wabag to Mt Hagen.

She gave the reason as continuous power blackout to support her application. The defendant’s lawyers said they would object to Copland’s application to have the trial in Wabag after other issues were sorted out.

 Justice Salatiel Lenalia, who presided over the case, said it would be appropriate for the case to be heard in Wabag as it concerned the leadership of the province.

“In the case of power blackout, a standby generator can be organised. That I don’t think is a serious problem,” the judge said.

He said however that because of the pending issues, he referred both applications on the amalgamation of the petitions and change of venue for the administrator to decide.