ConCourt admonishes one of Chakwera’s lawyers, Songea for acting incompetently

The Constitutional Court in an ongoing elections case, being heard in Lilongwe on Wednesday admonished one of the lawyers representing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera, Isaac Songea, for acting incompetently.

Chakwera, who wants nullificarion of the May 21 2019 presidential election and an order for a rerun, made notices through his lawyers before taking to witness stand.

Justice Mike Tembo, reading a the ruling  on behalf of the five-judge  panel, admonished Chakwera’s lawyer Songea.

Tembo pointed out that instead of Songea submitting a sworn statement to court in support of a sowrn statement by another witness, he should have simply asked the witness to make a supplementary sworn statement or alter the available one.

In the ruling, the court also rejected Chakwera’s  application for Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to bring originals of booklet Form 60C and customised For 66C printed and published by Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company in Dubai for demonstration by one of  Richard Chapweteka, who was rejected by the court to insert evidence not included in sowrn statement.

The court also pointed out that legal  teams of both the respondents and petitioners were not cooperating in as far as sharing of information was concerned.

“This may have effect [that may lead to] unduly prolonged hearing. ,” noted Tembo.

The judge advised: “Parties should cooperate and agree on facts.”

Chakwera will start testifying this Thursday after the first petitioner UTM Party president Saulos Chilima, wrapped up his testimony.

Presidet Peter Mutharika was declared winner in the elections with 1 940 709 votes against his main challenger Chakwera’s 1 781 740 votes.

Chakwera and his counterpart, Chilima, want results of the Tripartite Elections nullified on allegations that MEC mismanaged them and unduly announced the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Peter Mutharika as winner.

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