Trappe stays in the House after election petition thrown out

By DAPHNE WANI
A petition challenging the election of Mul-Baiyer-Lumusa Open MP Koi Trappe was dismissed by the Waigani National Court yesterday.
Acting judge Nicholas Miviri ordered that petitioner Sani Rambi pay the costs of the respondents, including those of the competency applicants.
In his petition, Rambi alleged that there were errors, omissions and illegal practices.
Justice Miviri ruled that the petition did not satisfy section 208 (a) of the Organic Law which was a mandatory requirement.
He upheld the objection to competency made by the respondents, Mul-Baiyer-Lumusa MP Koi Trappe (first respondent), and the Electoral Commission (second respondent) and struck out all three grounds which resulted in the petition being dismissed in its entirety.
Petitioner Rambi was among 18 other candidates who contested that open electorate seat last year which Trappe won with 30,085 votes. Rambi polled 24, 246 votes.
The petitioner alleged that the destruction of three ballot boxes before and after the polling had denied 2861 voters their right to vote.
The petitioner then alleged that polling officials and the supporters of the first respondent made errors and omissions and were involved in illegal practice.
The judge ruled that the winning margin was not pleaded in the petition and the petition did not show how the results of the election would be affected.
Trappe welcomed the court’s decision and said he was pleased of the outcome.
He said would continue to focus on developments in education, health and roads .