BY ROMINAH FAKA
Court has adjourned the hearing of application to strike out the petition case against MP Trevor Mahaga for September 6.
MP for Gao Bugotu, Mr Mahaga is facing a petition by former MP Samuel Manetoali.
Mahaga’s legal team have applied for a strike-out on the petition.
Hearing for the strike-out application was scheduled for Monday this week, however, the Attorney General’s chamber did not serve its submissions until Monday.
The Attorney General’s chambers represents the second respondent – the electoral commission.
Manetoali’s lawyer sought time from the court to respond to the second respondent’s submissions before proceeding to the hearing of the strike-out application.
Manetoali filed two allegations against MP Mahaga – bribery and breaching the electoral act.
Manetoali also filed six allegations against electoral officers.
Mahaga’s legal team applied for the strike out to the petition. One of their reasons is that Manetoali’s petition does not specify which section of the electoral act Mahaga allegedly breached, therefore the petition is deemed frivolous and vexatious.
Mahaga is also the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management and Meteorology.
L& L Lawyers represents Manetoali and Rano and Company represents MP Mahaga and Attorney General represents Electoral Officers as second respondent.
