Paita moves to dismiss election petition over breaches

FINSCHHAFEN MP Rainbo Paita has filed an application to dismiss an election petition against him and the Electoral Commission (EC) claiming a breach of court directions by the petitioner.
Candidate Longekepe Zonggoreng’s lawyer advised Judge Joseph Yagi in the National Court at Waigani yesterday that there were two notice of motions afoot. One was in relation to the issue of service and the other was for breaching directions.
Judge Yagi said one of the applications was for the late filing of the petition and amounted to a notice of objection to competency.
He added that the election petition rules directed for a notice of objection to competency to be heard during trial while the other application on breach of directions could be dealt with.
Lawyer Donald Kints, assisting Paita’s lawyer McRonald Nale, said the notice of objection to competency could be heard during trial while the other on issue of service could be heard now.
Judge Yagi fixed Nov 14 for the notice of motion to be heard. Meanwhile, in the case of Wewak Open candidate Jim Simatab against winner late Kevin Isifu and EC, Simatab’s lawyer Steven Ranewa said parties had settled with draft directions and gave a copy to the court.
Judge Yagi after considering and making amendments was satisfied with the draft and endorsed it and placed it on file.
EC lawyer Nathan Onom told the court that they would be filing an application seeking leave to file a notice of objection to competency outside of time.
Judge Yagi noted that and adjourned the petition to Dec 19 for a pretrial conference.