There was drama in Soroti High Court on Thursday Afternoon after witnesses of Electoral Commission – EC and for Soroti City East Member of Parliament Herbert Edmund Ariko failed to defend the affidavits they had sworn in reply to the Election Petition.
Moses Okia Attan of Forum for Democratic Change – FDC ran to Soroti high court to challenge the victory of Herbert Edmund Ariko.
Okia, through his lawyer Jude Byamukama of JB & co advocates, in an August 26 petition indicated that there were glaring malpractices, militarization of the by-election, and detention of his party agents.
Ms Christine Eyuu, the returning officer for Soroti City, who is also a respondent in the petition, on July 28, declared Mr Herbert Edmund Ariko of National Resistance Movement party as MP-elect for Soroti East Division having garnered 9,407 votes against Mr Attan’s 8,771. Mr Pascal Amuriat of Uganda People’s Congress came a distant third with 115 votes.
Meanwhile during cross examination held at Soroti High Court drama ensued when several of the witnesses failed to defend their affidavits sworn in reply to the election petition.
Agnes Ingitu of Aloet Akum, witness to MP Ariko during cross examination differed with her affidavit when Attan’s lawyer Jude Byamukama requested her to decide whether court should use her evidence submitted in writing or oral submission.
She agreed to give oral submission which Byamukama didn’t object to and closed the cross examination.
Samuel Olokode, presiding officer for Aminit also rejected that there was no chaos that happened in Aminit yet earlier on he had testified according to Byamukama that the FDC supporters who were hired came through Kichinjaji ward and disorganized the whole exercise.
Francis Abeku Owolo COU contradicted himself when he said that he knew all the voters of Owolo by name and by face.
Abeku denied the allegations that the FDC’s polling agents were arrested but he failed to defend when asked who had signed for the agents of Attan after Byamukama referred him to affidavits filed by Attan.
In his petition Attan protests the results of Owolo COU saying that his agents were arrested and didn’t participate in signing the declaration form.
Byamukama however asked Abeku to prove if he had any forensic expertise to determine that it was the FDC agent who signed after he alleged that he knew the signature of one Moses who was deployed as agent for FDC.
Owolo Primary school had 100% turnout of voting.
Simon Opolot (EC witness) for Akisim PAG also contradicted when he said that each voter spent about 5 minutes equivalent to around 120 voters who voted on polling day yet Akisim had 758 voters.
Others who testified in court included; Elapu George Wilfred, Alacu Richard while Emogu Micheal didn’t testify.
On the other hand, the court has set 17 November as the date the petitioners legal team will file written submissions, December 1, 2022 for the respondents and December 8 for the rejoinder from the petitioners’ legal team and 15 December for respondents.
Judgment day has been set for January, 2023 at 12:30PM.
Jude Byamukama while speaking to media after the court session applauded the decision of court for the time frame given.
1 Comment
That has been wonderful, the truth shall remain that Hon Attain won the by -election.