MONROVIA – The second and third witnesses that testified on behalf of the National Elections Commission (NEC) last Friday provided a corroborating testimony in line with NEC first witness.
NEC hearing is presided over by Cllr. Bokai Harris.
Taking the witness stand on Friday, January 15, 2021, the second witness who also represented senator-elect, Jeremiah Koung as Chief supervisor in Ganta, testified to the satisfaction of the voting process during tallying and the signing of the tally sheets by various representatives.
According to witness Edwin G Korden, their observers assigned at various polling places in Ganta never alerted them of any political parties filing a complaint on the day of the just ended Nimba County senatorial elections.
Testifying further he said, areas, where Jeremiah Koung received the highest vote or second highest vote, they were giving the tally sheets signed by various representatives and, “throughout the results that were given to us, nothing was stipulated in that report about complaint or someone else complaint” among other things he testified.
His testimony corroborates with NEC first witness, Michael T.V Deddeh who testified Thursday, January 14, 2021, that no complain of fraud & irregularities were filed within any of the 741 polling places in Nimba County on the day of tally as his monitoring records on behalf of Senator elect Jeremiah Koung of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) details.
Also testifying the same day, NEC third witness, Charles T. Wonkeryor who served as head poll watcher for Jeremiah Koung in Nimba County District # 2 said, he provided a comprehensive monitoring network among his poll watchers in District # 2 and he was not informed of any complaint on the day of elections on December 8, 2020.
His testimony is also in corroboration with NEC first witness, Michael T.V Deddeh who testified Thursday January 14, 2021, that No Complain of Fraud & Irregularities were filed
He admitted to a harmless error on the part of NEC during the import of data that occurred but, blamed it on the fluctuation of current which was corrected in the presence of political party representatives after a period of quarantine.
Wonkeryor informed the hearing that, the NEC Magistrate in Nimba informed all the parties that a code will be sent from NEC head office and the three areas quarantine were corrected and parties’ observers signed.
Testifying further to allege missing Tamper Envelope Evidence (TEE) as alleged by of Edith Gongloe-Weh in her complaint, he said the TEE where not missing but mistakenly placed in the ballot boxes by the presiding officer.
Providing further clarity on alleged missing TEEs he said, there were eight polling precincts eleven polling places whose TEEs where not outside but mistaken placed in the ballot boxes.
According to witness Wonkeryor, the NEC magistrate launched an investigation concerning the TEEs and he was informed that the TEEs where mistaken placed in the ballot boxes.
To authenticate the alleged missing TEEs, He said he got the previous series number sealed on the ballot boxes for comparison, and all of the parties were informed and he took note in the tally room verifying the TEEs as it was read by the presiding officer and all the TEEs were found in the ballot boxes.
However, Princeston Wonkefmie Lofen who recently testified during the hearing at the NEC on behalf of Madam Edith Gongloe Weh admitted to the hearing officer that he was informed by some members of the Collaborating Political Party (CPP) that boxes containing ballots papers were allegedly opened at the office of NEC in Nimba but he was not present to have seen those boxes.
According to him, while making his way to ascertain the facts, he was arrested by officers of the Liberia National Police and allegedly flogged.
The trial continues Monday, January 18, 2021 at 1:00 PM