The appointed Returning Officer for Hagen Open electorate in Western Highlands Province in the 2022 National General Elections will remain as the duly appointed RO following a Supreme Court order this morning.
Justice Derek Hartshon made the decision following an appeal filed by the Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai to stay the National Court order on May 12, 2022 to restrain Willie Ropa and Mr Sinai from interfering with Amos Noifa who was also appointed per a National Gazette issued on May 6, 2022.
The National Court order was made from an application filed by Hagen Open MP William Duma where he sought for Mr Noifa to be declared by the court as the Returning Officer for Hagen Open.
The Supreme Court ordered that Mr Ropa remain as the Returning Officer and that all nominations done by Mr Noifa be returned to Mr Ropa.
The issue of who is the legally appointed RO still remain in court. Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai in a press conference this afternoon said he had appointed Mr Ropa as published in the National Gazette however there was another Gazzette with the same description that had Mr Noifa’s name as the RO where Mr Duma filed court proceedings based on this mix up.