Bribery: Sohe election declared null and void

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Bribery: Sohe election declared null and void

PORT MORESBY: The National Court has ordered a by-election for Northern”s Sohe after finding Pangu Pati’s Henry Jons Amuli’s re-election in General Election 2022 is null and void due to bribery.

The seat was contested by 44 candidates and Peoplwe’s National Congress’ Delilah Gore was second runner-up. Incumbent Amuli polled 8,461 votes and Gore garnered 6,436 ballots.

Gore then filed an election petition against the Commerce and Industry Minister in September.

The court proceedings were reported by The National:

By-election for Sohe

January 25, 2023The NationalMain Stories

Acting Judge Emma Wurr Henry Jons Amuli

By MELYNE BAROI
THE National Court has ordered a by-election for Northern’s Sohe after finding Pangu Pati’s Henry Jons Amuli’s re-election in General Election 2022 (GE22) is null and void due to bribery.
The seat was contested by 44 candidates and People’s National Congress’ Delilah Gore was second runner-up. Incumbent Amuli polled 8,461 votes and Gore garnered 6,436 ballots.
Gore then filed an election petition against the Commerce and Industry Minister in September.
Acting Judge Emma Wurr yesterday said the two-week trial in Popondetta town in November was quick but she reserved the decision to this year.
“There were four grounds of the allegations which I needed to consider before making a decision,” she said.
Judge Wurr said the first two grounds were allegations involving Amuli. However, it was noted that on the day of hearing, the court abandoned those grounds after Gore, through her lawyer Desmond Paul Kipa, advised the court they could not produce their witnesses.
In court yesterday, lawyer Sembeko Pind stood in for Kipa to receive the decision.
“In the second two grounds, I am satisfied that one of Amuli’s campaign coordinator, Denis Porari, had bribed about four people with sums of K20, K50 and K100 into voting for Amuli in Torogata village in Higaturu,” Judge Wurr said.
“Section 103 of the Criminal Code Act says the petitioner must prove evidence (of the allegations) to the entire satisfaction of the court,” she added.
“Witnesses against Amuli were impressive regardless of being first timers to court and simple villagers.”
Judge Wurr said Gore had upheld the third and fourth grounds of the petition proving that the witnesses who received monies had changed the course of their voting afterwards.
She added that Porari, who denied all allegations in his affidavits and testimony, lacked justification.
“Witnesses Elvis Katuho, Pauline Kesira and John Siriri said they were Gore’s supporters while Graham Ita was another candidate’s supporter but they all changed their choices after receiving the money from Porari,” she said.
“Witnesses testified that Porari was a subsistence farmer and by giving out sums of money, many had believed it was from Amuli since he was his campaign coordinator at that time and that he had also asked the witnesses to vote for Amuli after giving them monies.
It was noted that another issue had identified Amuli to have knowledge and authority of the monies that were given.
Judge Wurr ruled the second respondent, being the Electoral Commission, should conduct a by-election as soon as possible and that costs are to be paid by Amuli to Gore and all petition costs at the costs registry be reimbursed.
Outside court, Gore said the legal victory was for the Sohe people and she would pursue the court order.

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