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Court staffs opened ballot box witnessed by Justice Panel head Patrialis Akbar, Constitutional Justice Wahiduddin Adams, and entire party’s attorneys in further session of Bintuni Bay election dispute, on Tuesday (2/2) in Panel Session Room, the Constitutional Court Building. Photo PR/Ganie

 

 

 

The Constitutional Court continued further session of Bintuni Bay (Teluk Bintuni) election dispute on Tuesday (2/2) in Panel 3 Session Room. Two Applicant’s Witnesses Mohammad Jen Fimbay and Estevanus Orocomna delivered testimony regarding ‘vote transaction’. In a quite long session, the Court also ordered to open ballot boxes.

Estevanus, who served as candidate pair Kasihiw-Kokop’s campaign team head, said that he met regent candidate Yohanis Manibuy in December 10, 2015 at 11.00 East Indonesian Time (WIT).

The unintentional meeting was led to ‘vote transaction’. Initially, Estevanus claimed he met Yohanis when Yohanis came to North Moskona district. At that time, Estevanus claimed he was invited by Yohanis to gather at North Moskona district head’s house.

Estevanus further said that after he entered in the district head’s house, the door then locked and he was asked by Yohanis and Jefri Orocomna to divert Applicant’s vote to Related Party’s vote.

At that time, Estevanus added, Yohanis bribed him with 100 million rupiahs. Estevanus then admitted that he took the money and brought it home.

“He reported that votes from seashore area were already recapitulated, he already won. He requested additional votes from candidate pair number 2’s vote in North Moskona district. I rejected his offer. He then placed 100 million rupiahs in the table and he persuaded me to take the money,” said him who repeatedly claimed that he was forced for it.

Constitutional Justice Suhartoyo questioned about the motive of the bribery. “The Related Party already led the election, why he asked for additional votes?”

Unsatisfied with Estevanus’ answers, Suhartoyo asserted Estevanus’ testimony should be confronted with Yohanis’ and Jefri’s testimony. Moreover, Estevanus also didn’t describe in detail regarding the authority he had that made him able to add Related Party’s vote.

Vote Result Changing

Meanwhile, other Applicant’s Witness Mohammad Jen Fimbay delivered on vote result differences during North Moskona district plenary meeting.

Jen was served as Applicant’s campaign team secretary. He claimed he followed plenary recapitulation proceeding in Bintuni Bay election commission.

During plenary recapitulation, Jen figured out the recapitulation announced was different with the recapitulation the Applicant recorded. Jen said that the Applicant team already knew the recapitulation in North Moskona district from Single Side Band (SSB) Radio which owned by Bintuni Bay election commission. According to the radio, the Applicant got 334 votes, while the Related Party got 858 votes.

However, when the recapitulation announced during the plenary recapitulation, the Applicant’s vote was only 108, while the Related Party’s vote increased to 1,103 votes.

Jen protested and requested to open ballot boxes. He then revealed that C1 Plano document was full of scratches. Entire parties involving in the recapitulation saw the oddity, including the police. the documents was captured as evidence.

Ballot Boxes Opening

Responding Jen’s testimony, Constitutional Justice Wahiduddin Adams asked the information source of the SSB radio. It later figured out that the SSB radio got information from committee’s report in district level.

Bintuni Bay election commission commissioner Ahmad Subuh claimed that he never saw the North Moskona district recapitulation that stated in hologram C1-KWK form. When he wanted to take the form aforementioned, Subuh said that North Moskona district election committee (PPD) had already inserted the form into ballot boxes.

“As stated by election organizer, in this case North Moskona district election commission, entire documents were already inserted into ballot boxes, including the hologram C-1,” said Subuh.

Applicant’s Attorney Taufik Basari also claimed that his team and he never saw the copy of hologram C1 form referred.

Justice Panel then decided to open ballot boxes. Ensuring the boxes locked, Constitutional Justice Patrialis invited entire party’s representative to come forward to see ballot boxes opening. “It will be opened in front of us,” he asserted.

Court staffs, witnessed by Justice Panel and disputed parties, conducted detailed checking and read out their findings. Ballot boxes examination was yet ended until the session over. For the sake of effectiveness, Patrialis then declared that ballot boxes examination will be continued in the next session.  

The next session will be held on Thursday (4/2) at 09.00 West Indonesian Time for examination on Related Party’s witnesses. (Yusti Nurul Agustin/lul/Prasetyo Adi N)

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