BY ROMINAH FAKA
The ruling for application of withdrawal of the election petition and who to bear the cost of the case against Member of Parliament for North Guadalcanal Constituency Jamie Lency Vokia was further adjourned to February 18.
On Tuesday this week was supposed for the ruling to be delivered however, it was vacated and relisted for Tuesday 18th February at 1:30pm.
On the previous hearing the petitioner and his lawyer Mr. Gabriel Suri filed an application seeking leave to withdraw the petition, claiming that his two remaining witnesses were being interfered with the respondent Vokia, which petitioner claimed it affected their credibility as witnesses.
As a result, the petitioner believes that there is no need to proceed to the trial.
The petitioner and his lawyer seek the court for the cost to be paid by the respondent Vokia, claiming that his interference with the petitioner witnesses affected the credibility as witnesses, which leaves the petition no chance but to filed for withdrawal of the two grounds of bribery which will no longer proceeded to the trial.
In response to the petitioner and his lawyer Mr. Suri application, the respondent and his lawyer Jillian Soaika submitted that the petitioner witnesses themselves sought help from the respondent Vokia, therefore allowing the alleged interference.
Soaika stated that, if the witnesses had not approached the respondent, he would not have interacted with them.
Therefore, Soaika submitted that the petitioner Brandley Lenga will be the one who paid for the cost as they were the one who initiate the withdrawal.
The ruling on February 18 mainly for the primarily focus on the issue of who to pay the cost either petitioner or respondent.
Initially, there were four different occasions of bribery and three occasions of undue influence which the petitioner filed against the respondent.
On September 2, 2024 court ruled the application to strike out the petition by dismissing the three occasions of undue influence along with two allegations of bribery. Living only two grounds of bribery to proceed to trial.
Ms. Jillian Soaika appear for the respondent Jamie Lency Vokia and Gabriel Suri representing the petitioner, Bradley Lenga.
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