WEST Are’are Member of Parliament John Maneniaru has retained his seat after the petition lodged against him was dismissed on Tuesday.
This was the final case of the 28 petitions filed in relation to last year’s National General Election.
Justice Francis Mwanesalua dismissed the allegation relating to the use of Rural Constituency Development Fund’s (RCDF) outboard motored canoes.
Two voters in West Are’are constituency filed the petition against Maneniaru after he won last year’s election.
They alleged Maneniaru transported voters to the voting venues using RCDF outboard motor canoes.
The initial number of allegations filed was six.
They include two bribery allegations and four allegations of campaigning outside of the campaigning period and transporting voters to voting places using RCDF outboard motor canoes.
However, five of the allegations were struck off before the trial.
Only the allegation relating to the transportation of voters to the voting places went through trial.
At the end of the trial, Mwanesalua dismissed the allegation which resulted in Maneniaru retaining his seat.
A total of 28 election petition cases were filed after last year’s election.
Of that number, only three petition cases were successful.
These are the petitions lodged against central Honiara MP, Moffat Fugui, northeast Guadalcanal MP Jamie Vokia, and South Choiseul MP Robertson Galokale.
Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer at the Legal Opening year said this was the highest number of election petition cases ever filed.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
