News / Local
Chamisa suffers another setback, double candidates to feature on ballot
28 Jul 2023 at 01:44hrs | Views
OPPOSITION Citizens Coalition for Change has suffered yet another setback after High Court Judge Justice Neville Wamambo dismissed an appeal filed by the party challenging double candidates recorded on nomination day.
In dismissing the case, Wamambo said the documents submitted by the double candidates had nothing suspicious.
CCC had argued that the alleged double candidates forged signatures and filed ‘fraudulent' nomination papers.
Prior to Wambambo's judgment, CCC lawyer Thabani Mpofu had challenged Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) saying they registered candidates under their party despite having been furnished with authorised specimens of signatures.
According to Wamambo, CCC approached the court with the wrong law and there were no visible differences in the nomination papers submitted by both selected party candidates and alleged forgers.
Further, Wamambo ruled that the issue of signatures can only be verified by an expert.
Mpofu as part of the evidence had submitted a copy of party spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere's forms and that of double candidate Freddy Masarirevhu saying the two documents were clear that they had been forged.
Advocate Tawanda Kanengoni, who was representing ZEC argued that prior to the elections, there is no letter that provides a specimen logo.
"The one that is described as bogus and the logo that is there, it satisfies that description. It is a white background, with Nelson Chamisa's face and a black box written CCC. There was no reasonable suspicion that the nomination officer would suspect that this is not the CCC logo.
The signatures, I don't know what aspects of that signature the appellant has made. When you look at those signatures, there is no real basis where you can say they are different.
They are substantially similar. Any nomination officer who looks at the specimens and the nomination papers would not say they look different. None of us are experts in that," Kanengoni said in his submissions.
In dismissing the case, Wamambo said the documents submitted by the double candidates had nothing suspicious.
CCC had argued that the alleged double candidates forged signatures and filed ‘fraudulent' nomination papers.
Prior to Wambambo's judgment, CCC lawyer Thabani Mpofu had challenged Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) saying they registered candidates under their party despite having been furnished with authorised specimens of signatures.
According to Wamambo, CCC approached the court with the wrong law and there were no visible differences in the nomination papers submitted by both selected party candidates and alleged forgers.
Further, Wamambo ruled that the issue of signatures can only be verified by an expert.
Mpofu as part of the evidence had submitted a copy of party spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere's forms and that of double candidate Freddy Masarirevhu saying the two documents were clear that they had been forged.
Advocate Tawanda Kanengoni, who was representing ZEC argued that prior to the elections, there is no letter that provides a specimen logo.
"The one that is described as bogus and the logo that is there, it satisfies that description. It is a white background, with Nelson Chamisa's face and a black box written CCC. There was no reasonable suspicion that the nomination officer would suspect that this is not the CCC logo.
The signatures, I don't know what aspects of that signature the appellant has made. When you look at those signatures, there is no real basis where you can say they are different.
They are substantially similar. Any nomination officer who looks at the specimens and the nomination papers would not say they look different. None of us are experts in that," Kanengoni said in his submissions.
Source - NewZimbabwe
