25 Jul 2002

More than 250 ballot boxes lost or destroyed in PNG election

10:16 am on 25 July 2002

Five Papua New Guinea soldiers have been disarmed and arrested for stealing ballot boxes in the strife-torn Southern Highlands.

The five are believed to be part of the so-called "dirty dozen" disloyal soldiers operating in parts of the highlands during the general election.

Senior Defence Force officers say the men removed large numbers of ballot boxes from the Tari police station.

Electoral Commissioner Reuben Kaiulo has told the Supreme Court that more than 250 ballot boxes are either lost or destroyed in the Highlands.

Mr Kaiulo who was speaking to an affidavit he filed in the Supreme Court says he will not recognise or declare results in two Southern highlands electorates.

Mr Kaiulo says elections in the Kagua-Erave and Tari-Pori electorates were not properly conducted and he will not declare a winning candidate for the seats.

The Supreme Court is deliberating whether to allow him to declare the two elections as failed.

Mr Kaiulo says counting there cannot begin because there were no ballot boxes or papers to be counted.

And he has asked the court to further extend the elections to August the 15th because counting for the rest of the Southern highlands cannot be completed by next Monday's deadline.

This comes as the Governor General has set August the 5th as the day for the first sitting of the new Parliament.