Police in Kanungu District have arrested three polling registrars for allegedly forging declaration of results forms during the ongoing Local Council elections.
The suspects have been identified as Owakubariho Martin, Kwarikunda Isaac and Musigizi Amon, all from Katete Sub-county. According to ASP Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police Spokesperson, the trio was found in possession of 20 pre-filled declaration forms before the voting exercise had even begun.
Maate said the suspects were deployed at two different polling stations, Nyakishojwa and Kayanja cells and were apprehended and taken to Kanungu Central Police Station. They have been charged with forgery.
“The forms were already filled in before voters had cast their ballots, which is a serious electoral offence,” Maate noted.
CUE IN MAATE…..ON THE ARREST……ENG//
Meanwhile, in Kabale main stadium, chaos erupted during the vote counting process after reports of individual’s crossing over to cast multiple votes. Supporters of one of the candidates reacted violently, leading to the near destruction of the voters’ register and declaration forms.
The situation prompted security officers to whisk the registrar to Kabale Central Police Station for safety. The process was briefly halted but later resumed and concluded successfully.