Court Fines MEC & MCP for Delaying Elections Case

Constitutional court has fined Malawi Electoral Commission MEC and Malawi Congress Party MCP for delaying the elections case.

Judge Hilley Potani said the court fined MEC because of submitting a certificate of non compliance while MCP for late submission of supplementary sworn statements.

Potani ordered MEC to pay a fine of two hundred thousand kwacha to MCP.

He then demanded MCP to pay a fine of three hundred thousand kwacha to all parties involved in the case which in total is nine hundred thousand kwacha.

“The court condemns both of you for not complying with electoral case management process. The fines must be paid by 12 noon on Monday 21 October 2019,” said Potani

Lawyer of MCP apologized for the late submission of the supplementary sworn statements but accepted the fine.

Then he announced that some of its witnesses will not be called for cross examination.

Thereafter, MEC lawyer Kalekeni Kaphale continued cross examining third witness of MCP Peter Lackson Chimangeni.

During the cross examination judge Ivy Kamanga reminded Kaphale that Monday was his last day to examine Chimangeni

In his response, Kaphale said they would discuss the matter in chamber.

The court dismissed MCP’s appeal to bring additional evidence of the witness in the court.

The judges heard that President Mutharika’s lawyer Frank Mbeta was not in the court because of sickness.

The cross examination was extended because the case was adjourned late