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Silaigwana defends Morgan Komichi
07 Jan 2019 at 09:06hrs | Views
key witness in the trial of MDC official Morgen Komichi who is facing charges of disrupting the announcement of the 2018 elections Mr Utoile Silaigwana has indicated he had not personally seen Komichi disrupting the announcement, but was only informed by a witness over the phone.
Silaigwana who is the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Acting Chief Elections Officer revealed this during the close of state case on Monday in Harare.
Komichi is charged for having contravened Section 186 of the Electoral Act by having interrupted, obstructed and disturbed the announcement of elections results at the HICC National Elections Command Centre by shouting that the announced results were fake and the MDC Alliance rejected the results.
Silaigwana indicated that he was informed of the disruption of announcement of results by the accused person through a third party over a telephone call, but he was in a different room at the premises where the alleged offence took place.
Komichi's trial was prompted by Silaigwana's report to the police though he had not personally witnessed the accused committing the alleged offence as he confessed on Monday.
Komichi's lawyer Obe Shava indicated that he will file an application for discharge at the close of the state case as the state had failed to establish its case against the accused.
Harare Magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura announced that the ruling on the matter will be done on the 21st of January.
Silaigwana who is the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Acting Chief Elections Officer revealed this during the close of state case on Monday in Harare.
Komichi is charged for having contravened Section 186 of the Electoral Act by having interrupted, obstructed and disturbed the announcement of elections results at the HICC National Elections Command Centre by shouting that the announced results were fake and the MDC Alliance rejected the results.
Silaigwana indicated that he was informed of the disruption of announcement of results by the accused person through a third party over a telephone call, but he was in a different room at the premises where the alleged offence took place.
Komichi's trial was prompted by Silaigwana's report to the police though he had not personally witnessed the accused committing the alleged offence as he confessed on Monday.
Komichi's lawyer Obe Shava indicated that he will file an application for discharge at the close of the state case as the state had failed to establish its case against the accused.
Harare Magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura announced that the ruling on the matter will be done on the 21st of January.
Source - Byo24News
