Kool disputes results of Chimbu regional recount

By DILU WENA
FORMER Chimbu Governor Noah Kool is disputing the result of the court-ordered recount for the Chimbu provincial seat and has filed a new case in the National Court.
Kool, who lost the seat during the 2017 general election to Michael Dua, submitted a motion to Justice Colin Makail at the National Court in Waigani on Friday. Justice Makail told parties that the court would consider Kool’s motion and the Electoral Commission’s result of the recount.
Parties were ordered to return to court on Wednesday to decide on the hearing of Kool’s motion.
In November, the National Court ordered the Electoral Commission to recount the votes for the Chimbu provincial seat after finding evidence of illegal practices and errors or omissions at counting venues during the 2017 general election.
Trial judge Justice Makail said the dispute was based on illegalities and errors or omissions.
The election petition was filed by Kool. He submitted that the counting officials were from one tribe, there was lack of public viewing of the exhausted ballot papers by scrutineers of other candidates, and the ballot papers were misallocated or misplaced during the elimination stage of the counting.
The court said Dua would remain as governor until the completion of the recount process and the presentation of the result to the court for consideration.