Judge pulls out of election petition, cites threats

Mar 11, 2016

The petition for vote recount in Moroto County, Alebtong District was filed before Chief Magistrate Alex Mushabe Karocho by Rebecca Amuge Otengo and was granted.

 

The Lira resident judge, Lady Justice Winifred Nabisinde has stepped aside from hearing Moroto County election petition citing threats, intimidation and attempted bribery.

The petition for vote recount in Moroto County, Alebtong District was filed before Chief Magistrate Alex Mushabe Karocho by Rebecca Amuge Otengo and was granted.

However, the defendant Samuel Okwir who was declared winner appealed to the high court protesting the ruling and hearing was fixed for Thursday.

The judge told court that she received many threatening calls to rule in favour of Otengo. She said Otengo's mother called her and told her to rule in favour of her daughter.

Otengo in an interview rubbished the allegations, saying none of her relatives has made calls to the judge.

She said for the last two to three weeks there have been people impersonating others at different levels.

 upporters of lebtong oman  and former oroto ounty aspirant ebecca muge tengo marching while carrying placards written in her support Supporters of Alebtong Woman MP and former Moroto County aspirant Rebecca Amuge Otengo marching while carrying placards written in her support.

 

"Some people have been calling saying they are from State House, office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and electoral commission among others," she said.

Otengo, the current minister of northern Uganda and Alebtong Woman MP, said she is willing to follow through the process of justice, and at every stage and will do whatever it takes to make sure it's logically concluded.

She said she had a lot of reservations when the judge stepped aside from hearing the case.

Otengo said she could agree with the judge if she had stepped aside because she is her tenant, which is normal. "She is not the first judge to stay in our place and we don't know them," she said.

She said her opponent's lawyer helped the judge find accommodation at her place and wondered if that is not manipulation.

 

Otengo said ballot boxes from Aloi, the nearest tally centre in Alebtong arrived last with tampered envelopes and the returning officer declined to accept them, but she was coerced.


Otengo called on the NRM party secretariat to come to Lango and Acholi and find out what went wrong with their votes.


 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});