Maravi

Presiding officer nabbed over ballot papers

Presiding officer nabbed over ballot papers
Written by Agness Changala
Friday, October 31, 2008 4:02:04 PM

POLICE in Lusaka yesterday nabbed Munali presiding officer Godfrey Malwita on suspicion of having already marked ballot papers. And police at the Civic Centre sneaked Malwita out of the centre on the pretext that they were going to interrogate him.

According to a Patriotic Front (PF) polling agent for Munali, Sipiwe Mwanamulela, the incident happened after the results were recorded that is when Malwita asked for attention from the people who were present at Munali polling station.

“We just heard him shout order! order! and he said he needed polling agents to help him put the ballot boxes and the white bags in the vehicle for transmission to the Civic Centre,” she said.

Mwanamulela said she then started observing and it was at this point that she saw one of the envelopes not sealed and decided to take it back inside for sealing.

“One of the envelopes contained ballot papers and so I decided to go back with it inside so that it could be sealed,” she said. “But when I asked Malwita to seal it, he asked me to wait, it was at this point that one of the female police officers checked what was in there and found already marked ballot papers on MMD candidate Rupiah Banda.”

She said when the police officer asked Malwita about the ballot papers he was found with, he said they were blank.

“When the police officer opened she took out one of the ballot papers and found it crossed on the MMD presidential candidate,” Mwanamulela said.

She explained that after realizing that the ballot papers were marked, she ran with the box because she suspected rigging and stood in one of the corners.

Mwanamulela said the matter was partially resolved to allow the ballot papers get to the Civic Centre.

And at centre Malwita, who failed to give a clear explanation on what transpired, claimed that he was mistaken to be in possession of extra ballot papers.

“It was a mistake on my part and I got confused because the returning officer wanted some ballot papers for record purpose,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lusaka Town clerk Timothy Hakuyu said there was nothing wrong with the man being in possession with the ballot papers because he did not temper with the results.

“There is nothing wrong if the results were not tempered with,” For now, lets get moving and not delay the process anymore,” he said.

Hakuyu assured the stakeholders who were present that the man was going to be handed over to police and appropriate authorities.

And just when the matter was being resolved in the Nakatindi Hall, Malwita was swiftly sneaked out and taken in a vehicle which sped off leaving everyone at the centre in shock.

Malwita was accompanied by police officers and Munali officer in charge.

But Munali Member of Parliament Mumbi Phiri and other PF officials followed the vehicle that ferried police officers and Malwita.

Labels: ELECTIONS, GODFREY MALWITA, SIPIWE MWANAMULELA

posted by MrK @ 4:03 PM