2021 ELECTION PETITIONS: Lady justice Susan Abinyo has dismissed 10 affidavits filed by Abdul Katuntu defending his election as the Bugweri county MP on grounds that they were filed outside the stipulated time.
Abinyo delivered the ruling when the petition filed by Katuntu’s rival, Julius Galisonga, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate came up for hearing on Tuesday.
Galisonga dragged Katuntu and Electoral Commission to court for allegedly orchestrating electoral irregularities, which affected the outcome of the Bugweri county parliamentary poll results. During the hearing on Tuesday, Galisonga’s lawyer, John Isabirye explained that they filed their petition on March 24, 2021, and the first respondent filed their response on June 6, 2021. He noted that it was inappropriate for the respondents to file supplementary affidavits three months later.
Abinyo, who adjourned the session to August 26, 2021, ruled that election petitions are matters of public interest, which warrant adherence to all procedures, to promote fairness and justice for all parties involved. Isabirye argued that once the court allows the first respondent to file fresh evidence, he would not stop to bring more affidavits before the court.
Katuntu’s lawyer, Alfred Oryem expressed reservations about the court ruling but he stressed that their defense team is on course to out rightly win the petition.
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