THE trial of MDC–T deputy national chairman Morgen Komichi continued yesterday with the defence lawyer Alec Muchadehama accusing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)’s chief legal officer Shamiso Barbara Chahuruva of concocting evidence to incriminate his client.
SENIOR COURT REPORTER
Muchadehama made the remarks while cross-examining Chahuruva, whom he accused of giving long and winding answers just to confuse matters.
Muchadehama said: “I am simply asking you questions that need simple answers and you are avoiding them. I know you are keen to incriminate the accused.”
Komichi has been in custody since July 29 following his arrest over charges of contravening the Electoral Act after he was allegedly found in possession of stray ballots belonging to Mugove Chiginya.
Chahuruva, however, told the court that she personally did not see Komichi opening any envelope containing ballot papers at the centre of the controversy.
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She further said she believed when Komichi brought the ballot papers to Zec, he intended Zec to act on the matter, but did not specifically tell the organisation on what to do.
After Chahuruva’s evidence, Chiginya took to the witness stand and told provincial magistrate Tendai Mahwe that he failed to cast his special vote on July 14 this year after his name was not called out at Mount Pleasant Hall where police officers were casting their ballots.
Chiginya said he was not given any explanation why his name could not be found although his application for a special vote had been successful.
He further said he was surprised on July 26 when he was picked up for questioning at the Harare Central Police Station over the recovered ballot papers although he had no idea how the papers got there.
“I did not manage to vote. The envelope containing the ballot papers was never availed to me and I don’t know how the packet that contained the papers looked like.”
Under cross-examination by Muchadehama, Chiginya said he registered to vote sometime early this year and on voting day he attended the polling station, but failed to exercise his rights after his name was never called out.
Asked to explain why the voters roll indicated that he was registered in both Mbare and Harare East constituencies, Chiginya simply said he did not know.
The trial continues on Monday next week.