Court forced for early adjournment in second day of Gwalidi’s testimony

The Constitution Court adjourned soon after reconvening in the morning of first petitioners second witness cross examination following the failure by UTM Party lawyers to finalize and serve the respondents legal team the amended sworn statement.

The sworn statement of Mirriam Gwalidi, UTM second witness was supposed to be amended by re-arranging pages.

Lawyer for the first petitioner Marshall Chilenga told the court Thursday morning that the ammended Gwalidi’s statement was not yet finalized.

“My Lady and my Lords, it was just a matter of rearranging the pages, we are sure that it will be finalized by the morning break,” he said.

However, lawyer for the first respondent, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Tamando Chokhoto asked for more time to look at the seven paged supplementary statement which they were served minutes the hearing started in the morning.

“My Lords and my Lady, we were served with the statement a minute before you came in so we will need some time to look at it,” said Chokhoto who also disclosed that the statement itself was not commissioned.

“It will be unfair for us to continue asking questions because want don’t want to face surprises during re-examination. We want to see into it tat thee pages have been rearranged and not the change of substantive issues,” he said .

The court also expressed concern with the way both parties are filing extra statements saying they are not in conformity with the new rules.

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