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Senior Court Reporter
THE lawyer representing MDC-T deputy national chairman Morgan Komichi, accused of contravening the Electoral Act, has entered the third week grilling one State witness in cross-examination. Mr Muchadehama started cross-examining ZEC deputy director of public relations Mr Tendai Pamire two weeks ago.
Komichi is facing a charge of fraud and contravening the Electoral Act after he was allegedly found in possession of an envelope containing ballot papers belonging to a policeman, Constable Mugove Chiginya of Mbare in Harare, which he claimed to have picked in a dustbin at a city hotel.
Yesterday Mr Muchadehama accused Mr Pamire and the entire commission of rigging elections and “crucified” Komichi to cover their backs.
“You confirm that upon presentation of the said ballot papers to the commission by the accused, there was panic in ZEC.
“As ZEC you panicked because you knew you had been caught and you were asking yourselves where Komichi could have got the ballots from,” he said.
In response, Mr Pamire said the commission did not panic but was actually shocked wondering how somebody could have managed to pilfer an envelope at an area where they thought security was tight.
Mr Muchadehama continued: “After discovering that you had been caught, you and the others then said let’s crucify Komichi to cover our backs for your role in the rigging. What is your comment?” he asked.
Mr Pamire said Mr Muchadehama’s statement was false and misleading.
“Your Worship, I find it puzzling that Mr Muchadehama wants this court to believe that a whole commission chaired by an honourable justice, who is a judge, and together with other four persons who are also lawyers can actually sit in a meeting and connive to make a false accusation against Mr Komichi.
“For what?” Mr Pamire queried.
Speaking during cross-examination, Mr Pamire said Komichi refused to give details of the person who had given him the ballots despite calls from the chairpersons to disclose the name of the person.
Mr Pamire added that Komichi could not even give reasons as to why he could not provide the commission with the details.
“He kept on saying that he was not going to disclose the name of the person and the commission failed to understand why that somebody could not be disclosed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Muchadehama, who failed to appear in court on Monday, told the court that he did not deliberately abscond, arguing that he was attending to other matters at the High Court.
Mr Michael Mugabe, who is representing the State, maintained that Mr Muchadehama should have informed the court that he was engaged at the High Court.
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