Papua New Guinea election official jailed

 As Papua New Guinea prepares to head to the campaign and polls, an election official was jailed for seven years by a judge at the National Court.

Terence Hetinu, 51, from Kainantu in the Eastern Highlands Province was the election manager for National Capital District in the 2017 election.

Terence Hetinu FB National Broadcasting Corporation

Judge Teresa Berrigan in sentencing Hetinu on Friday April, 30, 2022 said this must serve as a strong deterrent against election corruptions on the eve of another election.

She said there must be free, fair and safe elections.

Post Courier quoted Judge Berrigan: "It should never be forgotten that free and fair elections are the foundations upon which every thriving economy rests ensuring that government authority derives fromm the will of the people.

"The right to vote is enshrined in the Constitution and that right is sacred.

"The future of this country depends on it."

Hetinu is reported to have committed election fraud by corruptly receiving a large sum of money totaling K184, 300.

That money was to be used to pay polling officials in Port Moresby to secure the election of a candidate against incumbent Hon. Powes Parkop during the 2017 National General Elections.

Police arrested Hetinu on June 27, 2017 at a Six Mile polling location when he was caught red handed with the money bag inside an official Electoral Commission vehicle.

The money found by police Source: EMTV FB

Police also found in Hetinu's possession a contract of agreement between the candidate and himself detailing that Hetinu would be given a security business contract if the candidate won the election and be the Governor for National Capital District.

Judge Berrigan had described the crime as "official corruption of the worst kind", Post Courier reported.

Former Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato who defended Hetinu at that time saying the money were election allowances was charged with similar offences but was later cleared while Hetinu was found guilty of official corruption.

Metropolitan Superintendent then Sylvester Kalaut had pointed out that they understood that all allowance for election officials  were to be paid through their respective bank accounts, and not in cash

Corruption in Papua New Guinea by public officials had been a huge concern by the public and corruption watch dogs and commentators.

Blogger Martyn Namorong has once commented on a panel discussion that Papua New Guineans were too aspirational and want to own assets and in order to acquire them sooner is through corrupt means.

This has contributed to increase in fraud and corruption by public officials.