Chilima withdraws evidence of 34 witnesses in Malawi elections case
In a sudden turn of events, immediate past vice-president Saulos Chilima has decided to withdraw the evidence of his 34 monitors in the elections petition case who alleged electoral irregularities, the Constitutional Court heard on Thursday.
Lead lawyer for Chilima, cool-talking Dr Chikosa Silungwe informed the Court that the UTM Party president, who is first petitioner in the case, was withdrawing the witnesses expedite the case or speedy resolution of the petition.
UTM has paraded four witnesses in the case which include Chilima, Mirriam Gwalidi a roving monitor, Darlington Ndasauka and Bright Kawaka, UTM Party’s deputy director of elections.
“Bringing another 34 witnesses to repeat what others have already will not add any value,” said Silungwe.
He said they did not want to have repetitions, saying the four witnesses so far have shed light on their case in arguing irregularities.
Considering that the other witnesses confessed in court that they exaggerated that there were “a litany of irregularities” that marred the elections in favour of President Peter Mutharika, Chilima is said to have feared for more embarrassment from the lawyers of respondents led by Frank Mbeta and Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale respectively in cross-examination.
However, UTM sources say most of the witnesses refused to come to court unless they are paid their dues for monitoring the elections on behalf of party.
The development means that it will now be the turn of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera to enter the witness stand as second petitioner in the case.
The case has been adjourned to Tuesday next week when Chakwera will lay out his case.
President Mutharika of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), in his personal capacity as the declared winner, is the first respondent with Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) appearing as the second respondent.
The petitioners contend that Mutharika “won a fraudulent May 21 2019 Presidential Election” fraught with irregularities, including alleged tampering with election results sheets through correction fluid, popularly known as Tippex.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Kugwa nano Arafat. watsala Chakwera. You have destroyed Malawi when you know you did not win the election
Guys mukuti chiyani? Mulandu watha?
So why all that fuss about overwhelming evidence
The problem with opinionated writing. The writer trying his best to paint a gloomy picture of the situation. Writing lies about monitors refusing to testify due to unpaid allowances all to please his DPP paymasters.
Ine ngati umboni wake ndauwona umene anthu mukunena Kuti mukhale so masankho a chibwereza. Ndimphekesera zokhazokha zimene zimakambidwa ndi mboni Za UTM. Panalibepo umboni uliwonse ogwirika. Ndipo ndizosadabwitsa kuti UTM yachepetsa mboni zake. Chifukwa chake ndichoti mbonizo zilibe umboni wogwirika. Akuopa kuchulukitsa mbwelera. Kuzipopa ngati finye konse kuja a Chilima mbwelera zake mkukhala zimenezi?
This is the beginning of the end for the petitioners. The problem of using social media evidence in court is what we have just witnessed here, it crumbles like a pack of cards.
Your withdraw has surely shaken Chakwera and his cohort, they trusted you and this action is tantamount to betrayal, look they have asked the court for more time to prepare or adjust to this.
Now this withdraw will not go easy, you will pay for the cost incurred just as Mtambo n Trapence will, when the courts will vindicates Jane Ansah’s assertion that there was no rigging.
Ndiye ndale zimenezo! Akumana uko, akumvera limodzi coffee, inu kuno kumangotukwanizana, iwo ali phee uko! Chilima is DPP, one doesn’t need a scientific calculator to know this! Anthuwa ndi amodzi! Tidzakhumudwa one day, adzatisiya uyu kukamwa kuli yasaaa, iye wapita Ku DPP!!!!
Anthu ena apa ndinu zitsilu… you cant see kuti with witnesses or without Peter munthalika rigged elections? Kupusa lets build new Malawi of proper justice posatengera ndale ndi zigawo dziko likuonongeka ili mbava zachuluka mu boma zichoke including munthalika must go we need proper leadership osati izi..young people we shouldn’t tolerate this nonsense akuwononga tsogolo lathu awa kupangila ana awo ali kunja..CHAKWERA WILL TELL THEM THE TRUTH NEXT WEEK
Prove to us that the elections were rigged popeza inuyo ndinu ochenjera enafe ndizitsilu. Komanso inuyo ndinu khothi panokha mwagamula kale mulanduwu
mmmmmmmmmm chakwera chani?
Arafat wathawitsa mboni zake zambwelera….kkkkkkkk
In Kenya it took only two weeks