Submissions in Kairuku petition set for Thursday

THE hearing of an election petition challenging the result of Kairuku Open seat was completed in the National Court in Waigani last week and the matter was adjourned to Thursday for submissions.
The petition was filed by Paru Aihi against MP Peter Isoaimo and the Electoral Commission.
Isoaimo testified on Wednesday and denied the allegations.
A total of 16 witnesses testified in the three-day hearing, nine from Aihi and seven from Isoaimo.
Initially, there were four allegations of bribery but one was dropped later.
The trial started last Tuesday after Judge Teresa Berrigan dismissed Isoaimo’s objections to competency on March 13.
Isoaimo, in the objection to competency, said the facts of the bribery allegations were not pleaded properly with correct dates and names of people and place.
Judge Berrigan said the facts of the allegations were pleaded properly with dates, names of the place and the people alleged to have been bribed.
It was alleged that Isoaimo’s supporters bribed voters with cash or in kind to vote him.