Polling officer charged
Mar 02, 2006
A MBARARA court has charged a former polling assistant in the general election with 109 counts of electoral malpractice.
A MBARARA court has charged a former polling assistant in the general election with 109 counts of electoral malpractice, reports Kyomuhendo Muhanga.
Court presided over by grade one magistrate Caroline Kintu Lagu on Tuesday heard that Godfrey Byarimpa, a polling assistant at Rwambwa polling station in Isingiro district, hide 109 ballot papers with an intention of rigging elections.
It also heard that 50 of the papers were ticked in favour of Forum for Democratic Change presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye while 59 were ticketed in favour of Edith Birikwija, who was vying for the Isingiro woman parliamentary seat.
The court preferred 109 counts, saying each ballot paper carried an independent offence. It took the court one and a half hours to read all the offence.
Byarimpa denied all the charges and was remanded in kyamugorani government prisons until March, 15 for further hearing.
Prosecution said, the government spent a lot of money and time to organise a free and fair election and sensitised the nationals against indulging in election malpractice.
President Yoweri Museveni won the election with 59.2% while his closest challenger Besigye garnered 37%.
Court presided over by grade one magistrate Caroline Kintu Lagu on Tuesday heard that Godfrey Byarimpa, a polling assistant at Rwambwa polling station in Isingiro district, hide 109 ballot papers with an intention of rigging elections.
It also heard that 50 of the papers were ticked in favour of Forum for Democratic Change presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye while 59 were ticketed in favour of Edith Birikwija, who was vying for the Isingiro woman parliamentary seat.
The court preferred 109 counts, saying each ballot paper carried an independent offence. It took the court one and a half hours to read all the offence.
Byarimpa denied all the charges and was remanded in kyamugorani government prisons until March, 15 for further hearing.
Prosecution said, the government spent a lot of money and time to organise a free and fair election and sensitised the nationals against indulging in election malpractice.
President Yoweri Museveni won the election with 59.2% while his closest challenger Besigye garnered 37%.