Judge slams Electoral Commission for incompetency

News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Judge Joseph Yagi

Judge slams Electoral Commission for incompetency

PORT MORESBY: Judge Joseph Yagi on Tuesday (Nov 15, 2022) slammed the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Electoral Commission (EC) for its continuous non-compliance to court orders.

He asked EC legal officer Norman Napam to explain why electoral documents had not been filed and given to parties on time.

“The constant delays show incompetency and ignorance of the seriousness of an election petition,

“Soon, I am going to ask whoever is directly responsible for providing those files to stand in front of me and explain,” Judge Yagi said.

“Whose fault is it? These electoral officers were appointed by you (EC). You tell that to your boss,” he exclaimed.

The court news break was reported by The National:

EC testing judge’s patience

November 17, 2022The NationalMain Stories

AN Electoral Commission (EC) legal officer was asked on Tuesday to explain their continuous noncompliance to court orders.
National Court Judge Joseph Yagi called Norman Napam to explain why electoral documents had not been filed and given to parties on time.
Judge Yagi said that the constant delays showed incompetency and ignorance of the seriousness of an election petition.
“Soon, I am going to ask whoever is directly responsible for providing those files to stand in front of me and explain,” he said.
“Whose fault is it? These electoral officers were appointed by you (EC).
“You tell that to your boss.”
These comments were made during the case between Kilroy Genia and Abau MP Sir Puka Temu.
Kilroy’s lawyer had told the court that he had not been given any objections to the petitions since court orders were made in October.
“The due date for these statements of objections was on Nov 14 but that has not been done,” he said.
Kilroy, through his lawyer, would be filing to move a motion to dismiss the statements due to late failure of service.
This will be heard on Nov 22.
EC legal officer Napam told the court that he would take on the responsibility to make sure required electoral documents were filed and served.
Judge Yagi said: “I trust that you are a lawyer and you know what the consequences of undertaking a task in court are.”
He said that Napam must provide six separate electoral documents required by the case by the next pretrial conference on Nov 23.
Meanwhile, a status conference for the case of Northern governor Gary Juffa on Dec 29 would see the EC provide an electoral officer’s witness statement to the court.
It was noted that the same witness statement was found to have been filed by the governor.
The petition was set for trial in Popondetta from March 17-23.

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