5 Apr 2011

Solomons electoral official rejects accusations of bribery during by-election

3:40 pm on 5 April 2011

The manager of a by-election in Solomon Islands is denying reports of bribery and double voting.

The by-election for Baegu Asifola has been won by independent candidate David Tome.

A polling agent has told the Solomon Star he witnessed illicit activities such as candidates' supporters dishing out money, candidates paying for voters' transport, and people using other people's names to vote.

But the constituency's electoral manager, Fredrick Bosoboe, says he's not heard of instances of bribery, and they've beefed up processes to clamp down on double voting.

"We've managed to brief all our polling officials to call out names so that agents can really identify people or help scrutinise people that they are truly, their names are that, and they are voting correctly and not trying to impersonate someone. So we've gone on to see in our polling stations that it really worked."

Fredrick Bosoboe says he's not concerned candidates paid for ships to bring people from Honiara to vote.

The by-election for the Shortland constituency was won by independent Christopher Laore.