Court sets Malawi poll case ruling in 2020:  45 days after December 6 2019

The ruling of the high profile  petition case  seeking nullification of presidential elections results in the May 21 Tripartite Elections will be delivered 45 days after the Constitutional Court finishes hearing the case on December 6, a senior court official has said.

High Court registrar Agnes Patemba said this after the Constitutional Court told lawyers involved in the case that the case would be concluded by December 6, 2019.

The politically high stakes case has since been adjourned to October 28.

The court adjourned after permitting Malawi Congress Party witness Richard Chapweteka to bring fresh documents as evidence in the court.

The documents include packing list and commercial invoices related to the electoral materials that were delivered to Kamuzu International Airport from the printer in Dubai.

Results announced by Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC ) indicated that  President Peter Mutharika won the election with 38.5 percent followed by  Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarus Chakwera with 35 percent.

UTM president Saulos Chilima, who contested in the presidential election while serving as the country’s vice-president, amassed 23 percent of the vote.

Chakwera and Chilima, who is the first petitioner, are seeking nullification of the presidential election results over alleged irregularities.