The Waigani National Court today set dates in December for a two-day trial in an Election Petition case filed by Prominent Madang businessman, Peter Yama and runner-up in the Madang Open by-election recount in 2014.
Yama is seeking contempt charges at the Waigani National Court against former Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen, the returning officer involved in the Madang Open by-election recount in 2014, Simon Sinai, and their lawyer Harvey Nii.
He is seeking contempt charges against Trawen, Sinai and Nii on allegations they misled the court with wrong information when the court was dealing with an election petition filed by Yama challenging the election of current Madang Open MP Nixon Duban.
The matter came before Justice Collin Makail where a trial date was set today in the Waigani National Court for the contempt application to be moved on Dec 19-20.
Yama has 10 witnesses lined for his case and has also indicated through his lawyer that two key witnesses will be officers who compile General Elections data from the Electoral Commission.
His lawyer Ben Lomai told the court today that that they intend to call only five witnesses to be cross examined during the trial, and also the two Electoral Commission officials.
Defense has indicated they will call three witnesses for cross examination during the trial.
He filed an affidavit in court which included the final printout of the election results indicating that he had led by 16,645 votes while Duban was on 15,002 votes.
He claimed that the result that was presented earlier to the court which resulted in Duban’s declaration was not the final one.
Yama said he is pursuing the matter for the good of the people in the country and future elections.
He also said people’s democratic right to elect their leaders must not be hijacked and the election process must not be tempered with.