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Zimbabwe's Elections 2013 - Index of Articles
MDC-T
demands seized voter certificates
Blessed Mhlanga, NewsDay
July 16, 2013
http://www.newsday.co.zw/2013/07/16/mdc-t-demands-seized-voter-certificates/
The MDC-T has
accused police in Zvishavane of confiscating voter registration
certificates from its members as part of a plot to block them from
casting their vote in the forthcoming
harmonised elections.
MDC-T lawyer
Herbert Tafa last week wrote to the officer-in-charge at Zvishavane
Police Station demanding the release of the certificates.
Tafa alleges
that two police officers, only identified as Constables Shuro and
Zvenyika, seized the documents on June 9 to expedite investigations
into alleged electoral fraud by Itai Pasura, the party’s council
candidate.
“Pasura
was arrested on July 9 facing allegations of fraudulently providing
the 372 people with fake affidavits so that they could register
as voters. The matter did not go to court, but the police then confiscated
the certificates of registration as part of their investigations,”
said Tafa.
“We have
instructions from our clients which is to ask for the release of
documents confiscated by officers Shuro and Zvenyika during their
investigations. These documents include 187 certificates of registration
and 372 photocopies of certificates of registration.
“The officers
clearly indicated that the said documents were not relevant to their
investigations, but they could not release them.” He warned
the police that refusal to release the documents would leave his
clients with no option, but to approach the Constitutional Court.
“Refusal
to release the documents amounts to a deliberate infringements of
our clients’ rights to participate in the election . . . we
will thus approach the court for remedy,” said Tafa.
MDC-T Midlands
South chairperson Lillian Timvius confirmed the matter.
“These
people who are perceived to be MDC-T supporters might not be able
to vote on July 31 if they don’t have those certificates on
them.
“This
appears to be a mischievous attempt by the police to deny them a
right to vote,” she said.
Midlands provincial
police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko could not be reached
for comment yesterday.
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