Mutharika lawyers to continue heated cross-examining Chilima in Malawi poll case

UTM presidential candidate Saulos Chilima  returns in the witness box  Monday  in the ongoing historic presidential election case when lawyers for first respondent President Peter Mutharika, will continue   in cross-examining him  about the evidence he has tendered in support of his petition.

Chilima with his lawyers

Mutharika’s lead counsel Frank Farouk Mbeta will quiz Chilima, the immediate past vice president, with questions related to video recordings in which he submitted as part of his eveidence to rely on.

Furthermore, Chilima will answer questions from other lawyer for Mutharika, former Attorney General Charles Mhango.

The recordings were submitted by Chilima in his petition in which Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) officials are overheard discussing election irregularities.

Chilima’s lead lawyer Chikosa Silungwe acknowledged in court last Friday  that some of the recordings and their narratives were  mixed up and needs to be realigned.

The first recording was from a press conference  embattled MEC chairperson Justice Jane Ansah held in Blantyre during the election result management process, when results had started streaming to the national tally centre, where she was responding to journalists and making reference to the 147 ‘Madando’ [complaints] the commission had received in the aftermath of voting and counting.

Ansah was overheard sounding optimistic that political parties would accept the results, saying MEC had given parties chance to review complaints.

She further defended slow process of announcing results to work on complaints, saying all complaints were not about presidential results. And  that MEC asked complainants to provide evidence, including result sheets for comparison during allegations that results were doctored.

In the second recording, MEC officials were addressing another press briefing in which the electoral body’s officials are overheard responding to questions to journalists about an incident in Mzimba, where there was an alleged discovery of pre-marked ballot papers.

In the audio, MEC chief executive officer (CEO) Sam Alfandika is heard confirming the alleged incident and explaining that police have arrested the perpetrator, a teacher at one of the polling centres. He is further heard saying criminal prosecution would follow.

The third and final recording focused on Mutharika’s rally in the aftermath of the elections, at which he is heard discussing the allegations of rigging in the elections.

At one instance, Mutharika tells the audience that a member of the opposition, had declared before the elections that there will be no rigging of the elections because “technology is his realm”.

Then Mutharika is overheard making a statement that his party, too, had its “votes stolen” in the central parts of the country.

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Ammon
Ammon
4 years ago

Soon after the cases we are waiting to see who is going to get arrested since there many crimes going on in that country because if Chilima cant get arrested then i will also gather my combat to fight and rob like a political party just like Chilima who is fund raising through demostrations and rob the businesses or else we will bewitch Chilima

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