PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) — Ten people have been charged with various election-related crimes in the Papua New Guinea capital of Port Moresby.
The Post-Courier newspaper quoted the central police commander, Geoffrey Vaki, as saying the 10 were charged with crimes that included intimidating, threatening and double voting.
Vaki said police had planned for the worst but so far they had managed to control election-related matters. He said police had to resort to using guns in some instances to disperse crowds and supporters.
Reinforcements of heavily-armed Papua New Guinea police have been deployed to the Western Highlands after gun battles between supporters of rival candidates in the country’s general elections left at least two dead and dozens injured.
At the Mount Hagen polling booth, a journalist from the daily Post-Courier newspaper was attacked by family members for voting against a family backed candidate.
Bob Howarth, managing director of the Post-Courier, says his staff member was nearly killed despite having a bodyguard.
Meanwhile, Moresby North-East candidate, David Unagi’s supporters have claimed there were gunshots from other candidates’ camps and fights resulting in three of their men being seriously injured.
Unagi’s campaign manager Newman Kaupa has also accused police of beating up his men who were dispatched to check a polling booth where voting was continuing after the midday deadline.
He said police used spanners and screwdrivers to beat Unagi’s supporters, while opposing supporters speared two of their supporters on Monday.
