Magistrate: Stop wasting court’s time

 PEOPLE must not waste their time going to court if they do not have a good case, a magistrate said yesterday. 

Lae district court magistrate Jeremiah Singomat said this when dismissing an election petition and ordering petitioner Esther Nawaito meet the cost of court proceedings against the respondents.

Nawai was challenging the victory by Sei Selling for the Ward 7 council seat in the Watut Local Level Government in Morobe. 

Nawai alleged bribery and undue influence.

The Electoral Commission was the third defendant. 

Singomat told Nawai that she had not prepared a proper election petition as required by Section 208 (1) of the Organic Law on the Local Level Government Elections.

“I have read though your petition and found that it is not properly documented,” Singomat said.

“I dismiss the petition. You will pay the respondents’ cost.”

He warned people not to take matters to court if they knew they did not have a chance of winning.