Kandep Recount 2016

Enga Provincial Police Commander George Kakas said police investigators are trying to “establish the motive” of the theft.

The incident happened last Wednesday, when unknown persons broke open the container containing the ballot boxes and stole only the two boxes that were not exhausted during the Court ordered recount, which ended two weeks ago.

The container was kept inside the Wabag Police Station yard.   

Man in court for raping 19-year-old
http://www.looppng.com/content/man-court-raping-19-year-old
A man facing allegations he abducted and raped a 19-year-old girl will return to the Waigani District Court on Oct 28 after he asked the court for more time to draft his submissions.

The result will be brought back to the Court when a candidate reaches over 50 per cent of the vote in the recount.  

 “Progressive result shows that Don Polye is still leading and Alfred Manase running second. Today (yesterday) we have so far elimination 49 candidates out of 60 and left with 11 more to go,” Kandep Returning Officer Alwynn Jimmy said. 

 He told Loop PNG that at the close of count Polye maintain a lead of 22, 647 votes, Alfred Manase on 12, 350, Sakias Tamao on 3, 778, Bee Pepo scored 3, 126 and Peter Mission on fifth with 2, 973.  

“I also made a call for the National Government to divert district funds from Kandep to pay for this classroom, because this are innocent kids deprive of their education because the classroom was burnt down because counting was supposed to be held there,” Sir Peter said.

He claimed the burning of the classroom is a direct result of the school hosting the Supreme Court ordered recount of the 2012 National Election ballot papers.     

“Supporters who want to delay the counting burnt down the classroom,” Sir Peter alleged.

At the close of first preferential recount around 9pm yesterday Opposition Leader and sitting MP Don Polye leads by a difference of 10, 314 votes.         

“No candidates obtained the absolute majority so we’re going into elimination process starting tomorrow (today) to find the winner,” Kandep Returning Officer Alwin Jimmy told Loop PNG yesterday.

He said the absolute majority of 50 per cent plus one is 25, 585 votes.  

Jimmy said after completion of count 72, Don Polye leads with 22, 647 votes and Alfred Manase 12, 333 on second placing.   

Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas made these comments in a news conference in Port Moresby today.      

“I commend the police for doing a good job.

“They do not have all the manpower they require but the police under the supervision of our PPC George Kakas have been doing lots of PR (public relations) work, talking to the faction and communicating the right information that is why he has maintain a level of calmness in the province,” Sir Peter said.   

Sir Peter in a media conference in Port Moresby brushed aside rumours circulating that he had an influence in the calling of the recount.   

“I would like to inform the people of Kandep and Enga Province that this recount is been held as a direct order from the court.

“There is misconception that some of us have authority to call for recount, the speculation on the ground is totally nonsense. 

“The recount was direct result of candidate Alfred Manase challenging Honourable Don Poyle’s win; it got nothing to do with me or Enga Provincial Government. 

After count 62, which ended the votes recount yesterday evening, the sitting Kandep MP and Opposition Leader collected 21,235 votes, says Kandep Returning Officer Alwin Jimmy.

Jimmy told Loop PNG that Alfred Manase is in second place with 9,921 votes and all the other candidates are yet to master the 3,000 vote mark.

He added that 43,640 ballot papers were allowed, and 260 votes were found to be informal.

“Now we are going through them (ballot papers) and checking them careful and we are encountering some errors and we are trying to fix them as we go on.”

Jimmy gave an example of informal papers contained in the ballot boxes and also in correct recording of figures in the 2012 counting.    

He revealed to Loop PNG that counting officials found names of 2012 Enga Provincial Seat candidates written on the Kandep ballot papers, which were put aside as informal votes.  

This is a difference of 8,505 votes to the second-placed candidate since counting started last Saturday.     

Kandep Returning Officer Alwin Jimmy told Loop PNG after completion of counting yesterday that Polye scored 15,263, Alfred Manase 6,758 and Bee Pepo 2,262 votes.

“Now we just completed and knocked away after count number 44,” Jimmy said yesterday.

He revealed that 31,476 ballot papers had already been counted so far, with only 206 informal votes registered.