With email comment by Eddie Cross: “Komichi is the Vice Chairman of the MDC. He is a professional Engineer who used to help manage a major coal fired power station in Zimbabwe. In the past elections he was responsible for relations with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. Just after the Special Voting exercise, a cleaner found discarded completed ballot forms in a dustbin. This was reported to the MDC who collected them and handed them to the Vice Chairman for submission to the ZEC as part of our evidence that the Special Voting Exercise was shambolic and open to fraud. He was arrested and has now been in custody for 6 weeks. His “trial” is a complete mockery of justice and a clear example of the use of the whole judicial system to intimidate and suppress all opponents to the Zimbabwe regime. The fact that he is being held in leg irons and handcuffs even though he is no threat or flight risk is yet another example of the appalling record of the judicial system in Zimbabwe. It take great courage and determination to stand up to this system and I salute Mr. Komichi for his stance and pray for his family.”
via Komichi’s trial casts more doubt on ZEC’s credibility
The MDC’s position that the just ended elections were not credible, free and fair was further strengthened in court today in the trial of Senator Morgen Komichi after it emerged that there were serious irregularities in the special voting exercise.
Senator Komichi is the MDC deputy national chairperson who is facing false charges of contravening the Electoral Act.
The confusion which marred the special voting and harmonised elections continued to emerge after it was exposed at the Harare Magistrares’ Courts that Mugove Chiginya did not vote in the local council, parliamentary and presidential elections during the special vote period despite his ballot papers showing that he had cast his vote.
The ballot papers were presented in court as part of the exhibit.
Chiginya is a police officer based at Mbare Police Station and his ballot papers were found dumped in a dustbin at the Harare International Conference Centre which was the command center of ZEC.
These details were revealed at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts during the cross examination of Utoile Silaigwana, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), deputy chief elections officer by the defence counsel, Alec Muchadehama.
Senator Komichi was arrested last month after handing over ballot papers belonging to Chiginya to senior ZEC officials.
It emerged in court today that although Chiginya’s ballot papers were delivered to Mt Pleasant Hall polling station where the special voting exercise was taking place on 14 and 15 July, the police officer did not cast his vote although the ballot papers presented in court showed that he had voted.
It further emerged in court that the special voting exercise was shambolic as there was no voters’ roll but a voter register, making the voting process highly porous as people including those not on the voters’ roll being able to vote more than once.`
Silaigwana failed to explain why ZEC had failed to stop the chaos claiming that he was not well versed with most of the questions asked by the defence counsel.
Meanwhile, Muchadehama had to seek the assistance of the trial magistrate, Tendai Mahwe for Senator Komichi to be removed from leg shackles during the trial proceedings. Since the start of the trial on Tuesday, Senator Komichi has been appearing in court in leg irons and would spend the whole day in such a state, a situation which restrained him during proceedings.
COMMENTS
Just shows the World, You make a police report over some illegality and you are arrested, placed in leg irons and threatened. Typical Justice in Zimbabwe. Still some think \Mugabe really won this election???
There is something called chain of evidence. That the ballot paper was printed – who took it to Mt Pleasant ? – whether Chiginya was there ? – whether Chiginya voted ? – who picked the envelope and handed it over to Komichi and where he says he got the envelope? KOMICHI refuses to name this person because he knows he does not exist. Which gives the inference that KOMICHI is lying.
Those who think he won a free and fair election are small koterie of sychophantic, kleptocratic african presidents.
I am sure the MDC-T used covert methods to try and discredit the voting system. What they did was choose a police officer so the public could believe in their dirty indulgence. Dont you realise you are being used to clean other people’s dirty jobs. There are a lot of things at stake in Zimbabwe and obviously, the Western powers try all means to subvert ZImbabwe and of cause score against R. G. Mugabe. The world is watching and the Zimbabwen people are also watching. Zimbabwe is a very small country but because of the ways we are empowering our people, we are no doubt rubbing the EU, the Australians and etc the wrong way. What would Komichi achieve other than cause a lot of innocent deaths in the event of an uprising. Elections were fair and free. Mugabe won. Everybody else lost and that is the fact. No going back.
Your contribution does little to justify this primtitive treatment of a fellow Zimbabwean….just because he hails from a different political party. Could such treatment be accorded to a ZAnu PF making such a report? No wonder our children are disowning their country and taking up nationality in foreign lands.
Empowering people kwani imi muchiti vari kushandisa stone age methods for farming ha ha ha muchasekwa nenyika varume ngwarayi
Just shows hw e justice system is dead an u ask urself y ppl had to go thru e new constitution.it dsnt wrk at all and whr or whn wl politics stop interffering in e court of justice
and still there was no voters roll available to the two MDC parties prior to the election which is against the law. Yet Murairwa you claim it free and fair?!!!!!! This is an absolute requirement. If you so sure it was free and fair then why keep this innocent man in leg irons and in such conditions. Shame on the idiots of Zanu-PF and shame on you for such mentality. They think they can get away with it now but Mugabe and his lot forget that this life is just temporary arrangement. We will all die one day and there… God will judge and criminals will suffer eternity! So at least that’s a comforting thought and thank god Mugabe days are numbered given his old age!
Simon,Murairwa is nothing more than a paid member of the CIO who are paid to write all this turgid drivel about what was an unlawful rigged election.
That person called Murairwa I just don’t get him,seriouly there is injustice prevails in Zim.Why do they put leg irons on him he didn’t even try to flee,its well known that if the goat goes to hyenas court its sentence will be death nothing more,same applies to zimbabwean judiciary.If anyone tries to face the reality next steps they are being detained in prisons charged of treason,to some extent they disappear don even know about their remains.Zimbabwe is a dictatorship nation.You won the elections why agonising people???
why is he finding it so difficult to name the person who gave it to him? there is more to this story
Murairwa is just a Zanu
Murairwa is just a Zanu Pf DOG
The person who gave Komichi the ballot is named read the court papers.
So everyone is a Dog if they don’t agree with you
Or if they support Zanu PF
Kevin you so shallow minded and an emotional reck and bitter person.
Cio this Cio that what did you do Kevin please come clean
Or is this a MDC propaganda site were every comment posted is in favour of MDC.
All the headline news is negative news on Zimbabwe or Zanu PF
This site only has political story’s.
MDCT had no access to ballot papers and Police ordered more ballot papers than the whole police force and Makarau printed more two million ballot papers so they were voting for people who did not vote. Open your eyes and see.
So…..what are you saying Davy.???