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Morgan Komichi

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
The investigating officer in the case in which MDC-T deputy national chairman Morgen Komichi is accused of breaking the country’s electoral laws, yesterday told the court that Komichi refused to co-operate with police during investigations. Testifying in the on-going trial, Chief Superintendent Crispen Makedenge said Komichi refused to divulge information about the person whom he alleged to have picked up the ballots from a bin.

Komichi is alleged to have only told the police that one Michael Phiri was the one who had given him the ballots without giving further details.

Chief Supt Makedenge further said that he thought the onus was on Komichi to furnish the police with more details of his source to help himself and assist the police with investigations.

“After his arrest, the accused mentioned Phiri in his affidavit as his source. When I took him to my office, the accused sought permission to call a person whom he alleged was Phiri. I authorised him to do so and later he assured us that Phiri was on his way to the police station. To our surprise the said Phiri never showed up,” he said.

He added: “Komichi made several calls to the same person but to no avail. The said Phiri never showed up until we left our offices in the evening. I think this Michael Phiri is just a name he used, to date we do not even know whether he is a living person.”

Chief Supt Makedenge also told the court that he went through network providers to check the number which Komichi claimed was Phiri’s and the only Michael Phiri he got was registered in Victoria Falls.

“I communicated with my counterparts in Victoria Falls but nothing materialised and to date we have not located Phiri,” said Chief Supt Makedenge.

During cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Mr Alec Muchadehama, Chief Supt Makedenge said Komichi wanted the whole world to question the credibility of the 2013 special voting process.

Mr Muchadehama accused Chief Supt Makedenge of having connived with Zec officials to lay charges against Komichi in a bad way. He said it was questionable why Chief Supt Makedenge, a senior official, investigated the matter which he said was a simple one.

“Is it not true that the reason why accused (Komichi) was referred to you is because you assumed political connotation? You acted on the information you got from Zec after they called you directly to come and deal with the accused and they also told you what to do,” he said.
In response Chief Supt Makedenge denied the defence claims adding that as a police officer he was carrying out his duties which included investigating cases.

The trial continues today before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe.
Komichi was arrested for contravening the Electoral Act, which makes it a criminal offence for an unauthorised person to possess ballot papers or to tamper with them. He has been in custody since July 29.