By Staff Writer
The Sagaga No. 2 Electoral Constituency is lined up for bi-elections that should be underway as soon as a Writ to return to the polls are issued to legally do so.
The process starts from the Supreme Court with a Report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of an election petition ruling that disqualified the elected MP for the constituency.
The Speaker will then issue the warrant of election for the Office of the Electoral Commission to organise polling with the Writ for bi-elections.
Elected MP Seiuli Ueligitone Seiuli was ruled guilty of several violations of bribery and treating as a respondent in the 9 April 2021 general elections.
The petitioner and also election candidate Maualaivao Patelesio Ah Him was also found guilty of the same violations.
Both are disqualified from running in the bi-elections and the next general elections to follow an absence from politics of two terms or 10 years altogether.
Maualaivao came second to Seiuli in the poll results in a field of 7–candidates who ran for the Sagaga No.2 seat.
Justices Vui Clarence Nelson and Fepulea’i Ameperosa Roma ruled last Friday 18th June 2021 to find Seiuli guilty of 13-counts of bribery and 2-counts of treating.
His election was subsequently voided.
Maualaivao as the petitioner was also found guilty of 10 counts of bribery and 1-count of treating.
The Court ruling is the first in the long process of legal hearings that have been underway since the run of election petitions and counter petitions started late last month in May.
During the week two election petitions were withdrawn one for Savaii and one for Upolu constituencies.
So’oalo Mene against Vaele Paiaaua Sekuini of Gagaifomauga No. 2 in Savaii and Taueva Mupo Sauvao and Fesola’i Tusiupu Tuigamala of A’ana Alofi No. 1 in Upolu agreed not to proceed.
The 28 election petitions against the winning candidates makes up more than half the 51 elected seats in Parliament.
There are added civil lawsuits to make up more than 70 election matters for the Supreme Court to decide in the coming months.
More bi-elections are due to follow Supreme Court hearings that are in progress.
