DPP witnesses Ben Phiri, Chimkango helped prove poll irregularities – UTM submissions
The submissions by first petitioner Saulos Chilima to the Constitutional Court challenging the re-election of President Peter Mutharika in May, says Mutharika’s two witnesses who testified in Court – Ben Phiri and Bob Chimkango – helped to prove claims of irregularities and electoral fraud.
Chilima was UTM Party’s candidate in the May 21 presidential election, while second petitioner Lazarus Chakwera contested on Malawi Congress Party (MCP) ticket. The two want the court to nullify Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) declaration of Mutharika as winner on grounds that the polls were fraudulent.
Mutharika was added to the case as first respondent.
His key witness Ben Phiri, who is also Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, admitted electoral flaws in May 21 elections when he was cross-examined by Chilima’s lawyer, Dr Chikosa Silungwe.
In the submission filed by Silungwe, he states that Phiri acknowledged that the presidential elections were marred by challenges that included officers filling in inappropriate boxes of the tally sheets because of failure to understand some terminologies.
Phiri, who was DPP’s director of elections during the polls, also admitted use of Tippex, duplicate forms and alterations of results on tally sheets by some polling staff.
In his sworn statement, Phiri stated that auditors which MEC hired to scrutinise and certify the electoral process, rejected many of the tally sheets because of missing signatures of some political parties.
In the submission, Silungwe states that UTM presidential hopeful presented his petition on the ground of irregularity and fraud.
“Both irregularity and fraud have been proven by the testimony of Dr Saulos Chilima, Mirriam Gwalidi, Darlington Ndasauka , Bright Kawaga (UTM witnesses); Lazarus Chakwera, Peter Lackson, Anthony Bendulo, Eisenhower Mkaka and Daudi Suleman (MCP witnesses),” reads part of the submissions.
Silungwe adds that the irregularities have been admitted by the first respondent through Ben Phiri and Bob Chimkango.
“The irregularities prove that there was undue return of Mutharika as President of Malawi on 27 May 2019,” read the submissions.
Silungwe during court hearing asked Phiri on his academic credentials and claimed that the minister’s bachelor’s degree in International Relations was obtained from an institution known as Atlantic International University which is associated with fake academic qualifications. Phiri was also quizzed on his Doctorate degree which he claimed was obtained from unknown Jerusalem Bible College.
The Chilima petition also addressed the constant questions over how the irregularities affected the valid votes, noting that each time MEC was asked about fake, tippexed or duplicate result sheet or where the presiding officer did not sign a result sheet or record log book, they asked witnesses whether the valid vote count affected the votes.
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Days are numbered
I have seen some stupid people in this part of comments! The truth is without Chilima this case would be over long ago and DPP would have been stay on power comfortably. So do not say UTM case was weak even MCP was weak begging of this case, remember Chakwera was thinking to withdraw this same case ‘cauese he didn’t have anyone to support him. And he said on public l want to concentrate as MP l don’t feel like to stand as President anymore. Tell me who start this case? Let me remind you, it’s Soulos Chilima who start… Read more »
Saulos Chilima was once DPP member, and he knows how DPP rig elections. This time he has his own political party and knew the tricks of MEC and DPP. DPP started to screw him when he was suppose to vote and to find out that his name was not at the voting station that he was suppose to vote. The Malhako government is so fuckedup
Dziko lokondela ili,koma chilungamo chioneke basi
whether UTM case is weak and MCPs case strong as long as the aim is for nullification of poll results then we are singing same song and if the court ruling indeed nullifies the MEC poll declaration then the objective has been reached thats all
Nulification is inevitable, ready for rerun even if u take this case to either court in the world Nulification is unavoidable.
With or without corruption but this case is heading for rerun if these 5 Judges need to maintain their integrity.
Every Jim and Jack should start preparing for rerun . No need for opposition to start giving room to these Cadets who pretend to either support UTM or MCP submission while criticising the other that they have presented Weak Case . Opposition is strong, so Cadets mustn’t bend/ divert things for their beneficial.
I c weak cases in both petitioners. They don’t have any evidence of irregularities of their own let alone relying on Ben’s.
MUSAMBE MMASO…. TOO MUCH KHUNGU
Hahaha!osati wasemphana nazo zoyenera kuzimva?nothing weak men,all proofs have been shown,even the five panel Judges knws this.If you can recall whn Chisi,Chimkango and Beni Phiri tried to bring new docs akhoti anawauza pompo kuti Thts not fair to bring in new eveidence,ndicholinga choti atsekere maboo awo.kaya unamva pamene paja,maboo awo sanatsekeredwe man,the elections wz stupdly officiated.Jane Ansa akudziwa,ndipo pano akutuluka thukuta mkamwa.
UTM ndi MCP onse aonesa mmene dpp ndi mec anasokonezera zisakho pogwilira limodzi ntchito kuti dpp ikhale ngati inawina mbava asatana osakonda chilungamo 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Lies too much
DPP won the election
A UTM very weak case. Unbelievable . Case koma MCP!
Just shut up your probosis
KHUNGU KUSAONA
If you are saying the UTM case is weak koma ya MCP which one? I thought both of them their cases are boardering on “irregularity and fraud”. What is the MCP case boardering on?