Man wants court to expedite cases

By ELIAS NANAU
A LOSING candidate in the Hagen open electorate, Western Highlands, says the Court of Disputed Returns should expedite election petition cases.
Former military sergeant Andy Billy Koldop was concerned his people could miss out on service delivery if there were delays in the determination of two election disputes filed against William Duma.
“We want the matters to be expedited,” he said.
“The Hagen open electorate is like the hub of business for the highlands region and my people should not be kept in the dark.”
Koldop contested the electorate but said he did not campaign as there were four other candidates from his tribe who contested against Duma.
Losing candidates Simon Sanagke and James Yoka Ekip have filed a petition against Duma.
Both men have named returning officer Gordon Wimb as the first respondent, the Electoral Commission as second respondent and Duma as the third.
National Court Registrar Ian Augerea had said the court would dispense the matters as soon as possible in line with the election petition rules developed by judges in 2002.
He had said the court was aware that dealing with court matters was expensive and stressing.
Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia has appointed Justice Colin Makail as the judge administrator and his task will be to set dates and allocate judges to hear cases.