BY PEARSON KOLO
THE Assistant Returning Officer for Wiru Local Level Government in the Pangia District in Southern Highlands Province was allegedly arrested by police straight after he declared the winner of the presidential recently.
The Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) Reke Manage who is out on a K1000 police bail said he was arrested by Ialibu police after he declined to sign an affidavit which he claimed he did not write.
Mr Manage said he delayed Joseph Kunkunu after he came first with 6366 votes in front of the runner up Wambi Nondi who polled 6206, a difference of 160 votes.
“Straight after the declaration, the supporters of the runner-up started a fight with the supporters of the winning candidate,” Mr Manage said.
“In the midst of the confusion, I was confronted by eight policemen from Ialibu who forced me to sign affidavits which they said I had pre-written.”
The ARO said he refused to sign and that was when he was bashed up by the police and locked up.
“I bailed myself out with K1000 but am still not sure why I was bashed up and locked in the cells,” Mr Manage said.
The election official said he had laid formal complaints with the police in Mt Hagen and Southern Highlands and wanted the police bosses to look into the matter and deal with those police involved.
According to the Wiru LLG ARO, fie out of the 39 councilors wards were declared unopposed while 34 were counted and declared and 12 presidential candidates contested with Joseph Kunkunu being declared.
THE Assistant Returning Officer for Wiru Local Level Government in the Pangia District in Southern Highlands Province was allegedly arrested by police straight after he declared the winner of the presidential recently.
The Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) Reke Manage who is out on a K1000 police bail said he was arrested by Ialibu police after he declined to sign an affidavit which he claimed he did not write.
Mr Manage said he delayed Joseph Kunkunu after he came first with 6366 votes in front of the runner up Wambi Nondi who polled 6206, a difference of 160 votes.
“Straight after the declaration, the supporters of the runner-up started a fight with the supporters of the winning candidate,” Mr Manage said.
“In the midst of the confusion, I was confronted by eight policemen from Ialibu who forced me to sign affidavits which they said I had pre-written.”
The ARO said he refused to sign and that was when he was bashed up by the police and locked up.
“I bailed myself out with K1000 but am still not sure why I was bashed up and locked in the cells,” Mr Manage said.
The election official said he had laid formal complaints with the police in Mt Hagen and Southern Highlands and wanted the police bosses to look into the matter and deal with those police involved.
According to the Wiru LLG ARO, fie out of the 39 councilors wards were declared unopposed while 34 were counted and declared and 12 presidential candidates contested with Joseph Kunkunu being declared.
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