Darius Kombe

The petition did not proceed to full trial last week after Naguri and the Electoral Commission’s objections on competency of the petition were successful.

Trial judge Justice Joseph Yagi dismissed the petition. 

This is the first petition to go for trial.

The petition was filed by Kombe on 30 August alleging errors and omissions on the part of the Electoral Commission.

He was seeking a recount of 2,725 votes, saying requests to have those votes re-counted were refused by the returning officer during scrutiny process.

Justice Collin Makail explained this week in court that the petitions will be heard in provinces where judges are based, when it goes to the trial stage.

For now, all directions hearing and pre-trials are being centralised in Waigani.

He made these comments when the petition filed against Bogia MP, Robert Naguri, went for directions.

Naguri was not present in court for directions nor was his lawyer when petitioner, Darius Kombe’s lawyer, asked the court to have the next directions hearing done in Wewak, where he is based.