Justice Bhunu defers ruling on ballot case

via Justice Bhunu defers ruling on ballot case | SW Radio Africa by Nomalanga Moyo  November 6, 2013

Electoral Court judge Chinembiri Bhunu has reserved ruling on a case in which MDC-T official Jameson Timba wants ballot boxes used in the July 31st poll opened.

Jameson Timba lost the Mt Pleasant Constituency seat to ZANU PF’s Jaison Passade, under highly controversial circumstances, including allegations of ballot stuffing.

Timba then approached the Electoral Court for an order to have the electoral material for Mt Pleasant reopened and reexamined, citing gross irregularities during the electoral process.

On October 25th Justice Bhunu granted the order following negotiations between Timba’s team and lawyers representing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

However, the ballot inspection which had been scheduled to commence on October 31st failed to take place, after the ZEC team made a u-turn and denied that they had consented to the order, forcing Timba to return to the Electoral Court.

Speaking to SW Radio Africa after Wednesday’s hearing, Timba said Justice Bhunu said he will hand down his ruling at a later date.

“However we are confident that this will be soon enough as electoral matters are by their very nature treated as urgent,” he added.

Timba has another court petition before the courts in which he wants the results of the Mt Pleasant Constituency nullified on the grounds that the poll was fraught with gross irregularities and malpractices.

The Mt Pleasant poll made international headlines after a video was released showing ZANU PF-linked police recruits being bussed into the constituency as part of the party’s rigging scheme.

Two weeks ago Mwonzora told SW Radio Africa that the MDC-T views the opening of the ballot boxes as crucial in its bid to prove the illegitimacy of the election.