Investigate PNG vote rigging, Somare says

25 Jun 2012, 9:50 am   -   Source: AAP
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Sir Michael Somare, who was controversially ousted from office last year, wants the police to investigate allegations of vote rigging.

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Papua New Guinea's former prime minister Sir Michael Somare says he is concerned over allegations of vote rigging during the early stages of the nation's election.

Sir Michael, who was controversially ousted from office by the government of Peter O'Neill last year, wants police and the Ombudsman Commission to investigate the allegations.

Election observers are reporting incidents of fraud and abuse throughout the Highlands region, where polling began on Saturday.

"This is the start of a terrible trend in the country and should not be tolerated," Sir Michael, 76, said in a statement.

"I call on the Ombudsman Commission and the office of Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates to investigate this and immediately disqualify these members of parliament from contesting these elections."

Domestic election observers have told journalists of three ballot boxes being destroyed in the hotly contested and resource rich Hela province.

In another incident, two ballot boxes were hijacked by supporters of candidates.

The boxes were returned hours later stuffed with filled in ballots.

In another incident in Enga province, a candidate was seen handing out debit cards with as much as 3000 kina (about $A1400) in the account.

In Tari, a rugged outpost town in Hela province, AAP witnessed children as young as 15 voting.

One high-ranking police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he witnessed a breast feeding mother with a baby casting two votes.

"She said to the presiding officer 'he (the baby) votes first, and the presiding officer said 'ok'," the police officer said.

In 2002 elections were declared failed in parts of the Highlands after widespread fraud and more than 100 deaths in election related violence.

Sir Michael is recontesting the East Sepik electorate he held for 44 years until he was thrown out of parliament in August.

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