Timba case opens

Fidelis Munyoro Chief Court Reporter
Mr Jameson Timba, who lost the Mt Pleasant National Assembly seat in the July 31, 2013 elections, yesterday claimed there was double voting by police officers during the special vote held prior to the main national polls. He made the allegations in the Electoral Court where he is contesting his loss as an MDC-T candidate to Zanu-PF’s Cde Jason Passade, who polled 7 920 votes against his 3 800.

Mr Timba was testifying before Justice Chinembiri Bhunu. “When I returned to Belgravia, a senior officer was controlling the queue and voting had been stopped because police officers intending to vote had red ink on their fingers,” said Mr Timba.

“I confronted the presiding officer who confirmed that voting had been stopped because of the irregularity, but were later allowed to vote. I raised the issue with the presiding officer who said they had cleaned their fingers.”

Mr Timba said he visited all polling stations in the constituency and his polling agents said people in police uniforms had come there in buses. He also said police officers continued voting after special balloting had closed.

Mr Timba took to the court extracts of the constituency voters roll showing what he said were ineligible voters from ZRP Chivi Growth Point, Imbizo Barracks in Umguza, Norton and Cranborne.