NRM loses Amuru election petition
Amuru Woman MP Lucy Akello (in green dress) greets Ms Jane Frances Okili’s lawyer after court threw out the election petition case. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI
What you need to know:
Ruling. The judge dismissed the case with costs.
Gulu. Justice Margret Mutonyi, the Gulu Resident High Court judge, on Monday threw out the election petition case filed against Ms Lucy Akello, the Amuru District Woman MP, and Electoral Commission (EC).
Ms Jane Frances Okili, who was represented by Kampala Associated Advocates, filed a petition on December 29 accusing Ms Akello of conniving with the EC, using propaganda politics and tribalistic sentiments to rig votes in the Amuru Woman MP by-election on November 20, 2014.
However, she snubbed the Monday court session where the ruling was delivered, although her lead counsel Andrew Mauso attended.
In the two-and-half hour session, Justice Mutonyi said the court was not satisfied with all the 20 affidavits the petitioner had lodged as evidence.
No evidence
Justice Muntonyi told the fully-packed courtroom that there was no evidence adduced in relation to vote rigging, vote stuffing, intimidation, and hatred.
She dismissed all the allegations by the petitioner with costs.
The costs have, however, not been determined. She cleared the EC, arguing that, the body charged with conducting elections in the country, acted within the law and if any result was falsified in favour of Ms Akello in order to deny Ms Okili victory, there is no evidence to that effect.
The Judge said Ms Okili is free to appeal if she does not concur with the ruling.
Mr Godfrey Komakech of Victoria Associates, who represented Ms Akello, said in separate interview with Daily Monitor that they were happy that the legal battle had finally come to an end in favour of their client.
“Ms Okili should have conceded defeat long time and moved on rather than wasting time of court. We shall write to the court seeking the legal cost that we have been awarded,” said Mr Komakech.
Mr Mauso said they would study the ruling before they can decide on the next step. Ms Akello was overwhelmed by joy. She said she feels clean.
The results
Ms Lucy Akello, who contested as a joint Opposition candidate, polled 7,420 votes while Ms Jane Frances Okili, who contested on the NRM ticket, garnered 6,701 votes.
