By Leo Mkhuwala, MFN
CHIKWAWA-The Friday’s re-examination of MCP key witness, Peter Lackson in the Lower Shire Parliamentary Elections dispute case has unearthed suspicious activities that show, the elections, were marred by usage of fake ballots, alterations and irregularities, all at the knowledge and watch of the elections body, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
With the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) lead lawyer, Senior Council Justin Dzonzi at the helm of things, the ICT expert, Peter Lackson articulated before the court, on how MEC secretly increased the number of streams in polling centres, like at Muona School in Nsanje North Constituency, where the elections body bloated the number of streams to 4 instead of the ligitimate 3.
The witness also revealed the suspicious discovery of results sheet form 66b, that instead of one document bearing one result, MEC was using two documents in one polling station bearing two different results.
In his analysis after Lackson had finished tendering his evidence, one of the two lawyers representing the MCP Parliamentary Candidates who are the petitioners in the case, Wester Kosamu said, he was impressed and satisfied in the way the way the witness had articulated the facts, which touched several areas that will enlighten the court about the existence of the fraudulent elections that MEC had ligitimized.
“The witness articulated and expounded the neccessary facts to the fullest and I can assure u that he has particularly left me impressed,” said legal counsel Kosamu.
Before court adjourned, lawyer Justin Dzonzi submitted his notice before court about his intention to submit an application in the next day of hearing.
He expressed readiness to move on to the next step with another witness, Anthony Bendulo who will enter the cross-examination box when hearing resumes.
Among other areas, Dzonzi mentioned that he will dwell much in probing the contract and reproduction of electral materials, the BDO report and the procedure manual of the elections.
The presiding Judge, Justice Sylivester Kalembera adjourned the case to February 10, 2020 during which the hearing will resume for three days until February 13, 2020.
The three Lower Shire MCP Candidates who dragged MEC to court and want the Parliamentary Elections results nullified are: Kafandikhale Mandevana of Nsanje Central, Enock Chizuzu of Nsanje North and Foster Thipiwa of Chikwawa East Constituency.
