MINING Minister and Member for Kainaintu Johnson Tuke welcomed the decision by the National Court to dismiss an election petition filed against him by petitioner William Hagahuno.
The courts found that there were major inconsistencies in the evidence provided by witnesses during cross examination.
Justice Paulus Dowa on Wednesday April 14 dismissed the petition after he found that the evidence failed to prove the two allegations of bribery raised by the petitioner.
Minister Tuke was taken to court on allegations of bribery during the 2017 National Elections and after four long years of court battle the case was dismissed.
According to court documents the petitioner stated that there were two occasions in which he alleged Minister Tuke of bribery.
Justice Dowa in his ruling stated that Hagahuno failed to prove to the to courts that all persons were bribed within the definition of section 215 of the Organic Law and Sect 103 of the Criminal Act, thus dismissing the case.
A relieved Minister Tuke welcomed the courts decision saying this now gives him time to concentrate more on his ministerial duties and serve his people of Kainaintu.
Minister Tuke said the long court battle instituted by the petitioner (Mr. Hagahuno) was only serving his personal ego and not for the interest of the Kainantu people.
He said the intention of the election petition was read out clear, it was not to conduct a by-election or to replace him.
“The intention was to satisfy his personal ego.”
Minister Tuke said this has held the people of Kainantu at ransom.
“The four years of the court battle has taken a lot of time, energy and commitment away from me. I was supposed to use this to concentrate more on my people of Kainantu and the ministry.
“The court case has played a direct impact on me on my performance, efficiency, effectiveness and in a way; it dragged me for a little while so I couldn’t be able to be very effective.
“It has also affected my efficiency output. While I have a backlog of issues it did not give me that comfort of fully expediting the trust that people have in me to reappoint me so was not able to produce to that expectation,” he said.
Minister Tuke said with the court decision dismissing the petition there will be nothing holding him back to fully function as the Member for Kainantu.
“Now that I’m free I will give my 100 percent effort towards it and see if I can at least do one or two things that may satisfy the voters.”
