Yali back in court on July 29

SUPREME Court has fixed July 29 for a full bench to hear a special reference by former Madang governor James Yali to review the amended Parliament Act which disqualifies convicts to hold public office.
Justice Collin Makail presiding at Waigani yesterday gave this direction when Yali’s lawyer Greg Sheppard advised the court that all previous court orders had been complied with by all the parties.
He added that the matter was ready to be heard and application to be determined before a full court.
Justice Makail directed lawyers for parties involved in the proceeding to file and serve all submissions and extracts of arguments by July 22.
The parties in the proceeding are Public Solicitor, Public Prosecutor, Clerk of Parliament Kala Aufa, Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai and Attorney-General Pila Niningi. Former Anglimp South Waghi candidate Justin Parker applied to join Yali as the second applicant as he was also disqualified under Section 103(3b) of the Amended Act to contest General Election 2022 (GE2022).
Parker was caught under that Act because he was convicted and sentenced 13 years for murder in 2015 while Yali was jailed 12 years for rape.
All the lawyers of the parties yesterday agreed on the date except Solicitor-General Tauvasa Tanuvasa, representing Niningi.
Tanuvasa said he would be away and would not be available when this matter returns to court on July 29 and suggested if the matter could be heard on Aug 1.
Justice Makail said July 29 would fall during the Supreme Court week which the Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika would be able to appoint judges to hear the application.

Candidates want counting held in Bogia

All 37 candidates of Bogia Open have petitioned the Election Manager Sponsa Navi to stop the transfer of counting venue from Bogia station to Madang town.
Returning Officer Cyril Retaw said no formal letter had been given to him or his officials in the district regarding the change of venue.
Retaw said, however, this information was verbally relayed by the Madang Administrator Frank Lau during a 2am visit to Bogia Police station on Tuesday. “When the provincial administrator came to the cell block where the ballot papers are stored, he made mention of it but not directly to me as the RO, nor to our district administrator or to any senior administration officers in the district,” he said.
The candidates unanimously agreed that the primary counting remained in Bogia station as planned on the basis that, historically, there had never been any election related issue in the district and no election rigging in Bogia.
The candidates also argued that the transfer of venue would be expensive, and increase chances of election rigging. Their petition, addressed to the election manager and the Madang election steering committee, demanded also that regional votes be packed and sealed in a separate box and escorted to Madang for elimination and consolidation.
Lai said due to less security personnel being deployed in the province, all counting had to be brought to Madang town.
Retaw, however, said the district had not reported any serious security issue and saw no security threat for counting which was expected to start by next week.