Next Tuesday, a three-judge Supreme Court bench will preside over the election petition review that was filed by Francis Potape.
Francis Potape’s petition challenging Philip Undialu’s election as Hela Governor was dismissed by the National Court on January 24.
The National Court threw out the petition because essential facts were not pleaded to support the two petition grounds.
The court upheld Undialu’s challenge on the competency of the petition, and found alternate pleadings were instead stated, which made it confusing for the court.
Potape was seeking to be declared by the court as member-elect. The court found that relief sought was based on assumptions.
On February 19, Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia granted the leave on grounds that there are very serious allegations in the case that only a proper trial will need to address.