Madang Police have arrested and charged a candidate contesting the Madang regional seat, for misbehaving at the counting area. Jim Kas was arrested last Friday 12 August.
He was charged under section 178 of the election offences Act, detained in the Jomba Police Station cell and was later allowed on K500 police bail. He will appear in court when his court papers are ready.
Madang Provincial Police Commander Acting Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang said Kas was intoxicated when he went to the counting venue at Holy Spirit Primary School on Friday night. The PPC also said he had been driving about the counting area at high speed.
PPC Rubiang said security personnel at the counting venue ordered Kas to report to Jomba Police Station where he was arrested, charged and detained.
In the meantime, PPC Rubiang said police officers and the PNGDF personnel in Madang will continue to provide security at the counting venue because of the extension given by the electoral commission.
“I want to thank the security personnel for their patience. (They) had been working very hard to make sure that the counting is progressing well in the province. We started well and we must finish it also on a good note. We hope everything will be finished by this week and we will return back to our respective commands,” the PPC said.