EAST Are’Are and East Malaita Member of Parliaments Peter Kenilorea Jnr and Manasseh Maelanga have had their cases dismissed on Monday at the High Court.
This was after High Court judges Maelyn Bird and Terrence Higgins made the order for the dismissal of the two petitions, Monday
Kenilorea’s judgment came after a trial was conducted into the three grounds of bribery against him.
The petitioner alleged three acts of bribery by Kenilorea or his agents but Ms. Bird, however, did not believe the petitioner’s witnesses’ evidence.
The allegation of incidents of voting irregularities against the election officials was also dismissed.
Ms. Bird, therefore, ordered the petitioners to pay the cost.
The petition was lodged by Kenilorea’s rival in last year’s National General Election Andrew Manepora’a.
Kenilorea won the election with 4,200 votes.
In relation to Maelanga’s petition case, Judge Higgins dismissed his case after the petitioner failed to turn up at the trial yesterday.
The petitioner William Baefua who is Maelanga’s second runner up in last year’s National General Election (NGE) has been asked to look for another lawyer to represent him in the trial.
This was after his lawyer withdrew his legal representation due to a conflict of interest as he knew Maelanga.
However, when the matter came for trial yesterday, there was no sign of the petitioner or a legal representation resulting in the judge dismissing the petition.
Maelanga won with 2,966 votes in the election last year while Baefua polled 1,247.
Judge John Keniapisia also last Friday had dismissed a bribery allegation against the Member of Parliament for West New Georgia Silas Vaqara after a trial.
Vaqara polled 1,888 votes in last year’s election.
The petition was lodged by Vaqara’s runner up George Temahua.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN