Kandep

Student allegedly burns down classroom

About 200 students from Kila Kila Secondary School are now left without a classroom after it was allegedly set alight this afternoon.

http://www.looppng.com/png-news/student-allegedly-burns-down-classroom-78833

Kandep trial next Monday

The petition trial over the Kandep open seat, filed by former MP, Don Polye will start next week Monday.

Pengal Isaac, 34, was arrested on the 19^th of July in Port Moresby.

It is alleged between the 1^st of July 2018 and 18 July 2018, he was employed by OM Holdings Limited as admin officer.

His responsibility involved preparing timesheets and assist the camp manager in any administrative roles.

During the period in question, Isaac falsely did timesheets for two former employees of the company who had left a year ago. 

He submitted the timesheets for K1,268 to the payroll section for payment.  

The National Court has directed that the petition be heard in Wabag from April 20 to May 25.

That trial will be heard in Wabag if the petition gets past the competency stage of the case.

Motions challenging the competency of the petition will be heard on April 3 at the Waigani National Court.

“We hope that in the trial, the right things will happen. The judiciary will perform, security will be provided and other party will aim to do what is right.

"I can give that assurance but it depends on all other parties,” Polye said outside court in Waigani.

Court of Disputed Returns administration judge, Justice Collin Makail, said the two leaders will have to take responsibility and tell their people and supporters to respect the court process and the election petition in court.

He made the comments when fixing the venue for the election petition trial.

Suggestions were made by Polye’s lawyer to have the trial heard in either Mt Hagen or Mendi due to security reasons however, the judge said there is the National Court facility in Wabag that can be utilised.

He said as leaders, it’s their responsibility to make sure such incidents did not happen.

In an exclusive interview with Loop PNG, Manasseh said a proper channel for Polye to follow is take the matter to court instead of inciting tensions and fights that were affecting innocent lives.

He claimed that the tribal fights occurred between the supporters of Polye and the provincial administrator and had nothing to do with him or his supporters.

“We don’t need tribal fights but leadership that will bring services like basic health and education.”

He also said the reports from the Returning officers and Election Managers to the Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, are misleading.

Polye alleges there is no impartiality in the counting process for Kandep which has resulted in eight ballot boxes he claims contains votes from his stronghold, being set aside as disputed boxes.

Manase was leading the race from the start until Polye outperformed him in the final nine boxes of Kolopa 1 and 2, Gini 1 and 2, Walupim, Teseres, Murip, Mund and Yapum rest houses, where he collected a total of more than 4,000 votes to move to the top with 16,336 votes. 

Manase finished second with 16,303 while Peter Mission and Johnathon Paraia ended in the third and 4th positions respectively.

The quality check will start today before going for exclusion.

Counting in Kandep was suspended over the weekend after violence erupted in Wabag between supporters of two candidates contesting the Kandep seat.

The violence resulted in the deaths of two police officers deployed to the area as Election Security personal who were intervening to stop the clashes.

Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, said he is expecting a report from the Police Commissioner, Gary Baki, who is presently on the ground.

Kandep Returning Officer Ben Besave confirmed to Loop PNG that only five ballot boxes are remaining before they’ll do the quality checks.

After count 60 results:

1. Alfred Manasseh (PNC) – 16,053
2. Don Plye (THE) – 14,307
3. Peter Mision Yaki (PP) - 5,493
4. Jonathan Paraiya (Ind) - 4,930
5. Timothy Rau Dulya (Ind) – 2,743

Besave said the remaining five ballot boxes will be counted today and elimination will commence tomorrow after the quality checks.

Meanwhile, counting is in recess and will resume shortly for count 61.