‘Yes’ Malawi had a tippex-ed election — Chilima
UTM Party leader Saulos Chilima said in court on Monday that the May 21 Tripartite Elections results sheets were altered using correction fluid, Tippex, in many parts of the country including places where he recorded highest votes.
The country’s immediate past vice-president said in witness boss when he was being cross-examined by President Peter Mutharika’s lead attorney Frank Fraook Mbeta during the ongoing presidential election case.
Chilima’s lawyers applied for the court to exclude evidence that Mutharika’s lawyers were using to cross examine the former vice president. However, the five-judge panel of Ivy Kamanga, Mike Tembo, Dingiswayo Madise and Healey Potani, ruled the evidence he admitted and that Chilima should be grilled on that evidence.
In the heated cross-examination Mbeta asked Chilima: “Are you aware most presiding officers were teachers?”
SKC: Yes that should be correct
Mbeta: And these teachers were discharging duties right at the schools they normally work
SKC: Yea that should be the ideal case, but I can’t say with full certainty how they were deployed
Mbeta: But MEC would have made it clear to the parties who are going to be presiding officers?
SKC: Yes, that is correct
Mbeta: Would you therefore agree with me that MEC was not transferring teachers from one school to be presiding officers at another school?
SKC: That I cannot say
Mbeta: And are you aware that schools do stock correctional fluid, popularly known as Tipp-ex
SKC: unfortunately I am not ware
Mbeta: When you went to vote, you said you voted at St. Thomas Commercial School, you saw that there were desks and tables that were used
SKC: Yes there tables and chairs that were used
Mbeta: Were these also provided by MEC?
SKC: I wouldn’t know
Mbeta: In her statement, the MEC chairperson does not state that Tipp-ex was used to rig elections, is that correct?
SKC: No that has not been said in the audio
Mbeta: Is there any other instance when she has said something to that effect?
SKC: Not to my knowledge
Mbeta: In her statement, she has also made it clear that the use of tipp-ex actually has a spanned across the country, you remember that part?
SKC: Yes I do
Mbeta: Let’s check for instance, Rumphi. Are you aware that you pulled the most valid votes in Rumphi than any other candidate?
SKC: Yes I know
Mbeta: And are you aware that, for instance in Salima, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera got the highest valid votes
SKC: That should also be correct
Mbeta: And are you aware, in Mangochi Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika got the highest votes
SKC: That should also be correct
Mbeta: But from the statement of the chairperson as well as from exhibits you have brought in this court, tipp-ex was used in area, almost number of areas, including Rumphi, Salima and Mangochi?
SKC: Yes, she did said that it was in all districts actually, the three would be part of the same
Mbeta: And from what you have brought in court as evidence, would agree with her tipp-ex was used across the country
SKC: Yes
Mbeta: You have already told the court, that Tipp-ex did not affect valid votes cast per candidate, you would therefore agree with me that you do not have any evidence that shows that tippex was used in favour of Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika
SKC: Based on statements here, No.
Mbeta: Did you have an opportunity before filing your evidence to file such evidence
SKC: No I have not.
Chilima is expected to finish his cross-examination Tuesday should Mutharika’s legal team give him space to breath after he legally almost destroyed his whole evidence as he told the court he did not have evidence that valid votes were affected.
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Tippex & the fake documents used in May 2019 Elections were all the stationery from schools that provided the desks & chairs.
SKC was just answering the YES/NO questions………….this is one sided type of story writing……………..how far did u go with ur education
You can go and check all schemes of work, lesson plans and pupils school report Mr mbeta. You will not find any in which these teachers used tippex. Now if they can’t use it on school report card, why should they use it on national elections? Shame.
questions designed to get the case away from the truth. very obvious we will get twisted judgments. everybody knows the truth, we just want the rerun don’t waste our time.
‘He legally destroyed his whole evidence’ Mwaweluza kale? Kulemba kwa kotani uku?
Ameneyo nde Chembwana Nkolokosa for you Cadet wankulu. Anyamata a Ben Phiri. Akacho pa computer akatume anthu akaponye ma petrol bomb
One thing that I know about most promary school teachers these days is that they are gullible. There have been many instances when teachers have assisted their own students in Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination (PSLCE) just for K10,000. What more with huge promises from the politicians? The one who was caught with pre-marked ballot was just unlucky. There were many who were doing that. Infact by the time he was being caught we don’t know how many pre-marked ballots were issued. This officer did not do this just for the love of APM, but he was brided to do… Read more »
Is there evidence to that effect in the courts or it is just insinuation?
This is what is called Outcropping. It is an outward manifestation of something that has been happening. The fact that there is no evidence does not mean something did not happen. I for one know that this is the only incident.
Frank Mbeta, can you cash on tippexed cheque?
The problem with picking little bits of cross examination about legal processes and technicalities and publishing them in an article is that at the end of the day it all gets lost in translation by the common man who doesn’t understand the law, the detailed case files etc……..
Very funny arguments. If MEC was aware that errors or mistakes will occur requiring correction fluid /tipex, why did they not provide it to the presiding officers? Who authorized these officers to use government property for MEC operations when MEC had its own budget for the elections? Why did Jane Ansah express surprise at the use of tipex country wide? In MEC’s own ethical procedures, was this use of tipex acceptable? Something is not adding up. MEC used altered documents (tipexed) and that in itself is not acceptable. An altered cheque, even when the figures and words are correct is… Read more »
MBETA IS SIMPLY ACCEPTING THE USE OF TIPPEX BY TELLING US THE SOURCE! I LIKE THAT!
Mbete why are u asking stupit questions? Since which election we had in malawi they use tipex.if u say schools keep tipex that is for school not election matters
kkkkkkk I like your comment, simple and straight forward. Last sentence.
You are right Sele. You and I let’s quickly find the sections of the Malawi electral law that say “don’t use tippex in a general election” so that we can give Chilima to give to the lawyers. Eish…