A forensic examiner, Samuel Oduntan, on Thursday, told the Osun state election petition tribunal that he found over-voting in six polling units in July 16 gubernatorial election as the court adjourned for adoption of written address.

Resuming defence on Thursday, counsel for the second respondent, Onyechi Ikpeazu, called two witnesses, Oduntan and the personal assistant to the second respondent, Reverend Samuel Bunmi-Jenyo, in defence of his case.

During the cross-examination by respondents, Oduntan said he did physical inspection on the BVAS machine, adding that he was paid for the work but that did not alter the fact and figure of his report.

While being cross-examined by the petitioner, Akin Olujinmi, the first witness said he did not officiate as presiding officer during the election.

Olujinmi asked the witness to look at page 25 of the RBVR ward 4 unit 7 Ede South and the witness admitted that the accreditation figure on his witness statement was 313 while it was 388 on RBVR.

The respondent was asked if he admitted over-voting and he responded that he found over-voting in six polling units.

Olujinmi asked: “In Para- graph 14 page 364 of his wit- ness statement, you said the detail breakdown and score of the report is summarised in his report but he did not write the score of form EC8A.”

Oduntan responded: “All my accredited figures were not forced, only one form EC8A was used in polling unit but we can have several BVAS.”

The witness also testified that for ward 4 unit 8 of Ede South Local Government, the accreditation figure on the witness statement was 830, while the accreditation figure on BVAS report presented by INEC was 793, showing the over-voting of 37.

He said though he did not work as INEC official on the election day, he carried out inspection of the BVAS machines where he carried out his analysis.

During the cross-examination of the personal assistant to the second respondents, Reverend Samuel Bunmi-Jenyo brought the original result of Atlanta metropolitan college and other original certificate, transcript, photograph wearing academic gown of the second respondent to the court.

He confirmed to the court that he attended the convocation ceremony of the second respondent, saying that he went to the United States on May 6, 2021 for the ceremony.

He informed the court that his duty as personal assistant to the second respondent is to keep all the documents that belong to him and confirmed that it is in that capacity that he has the original result, adding that the second respondent authorised him to come before the court with the documents.

He said he had been associated with the second respondent for 10 years and that the respondent has not been convicted by any court for submission of any forged certificate to INEC.

During cross-examination, Olujinmi said the passport tendered by the witness did not indicate that he attended the convocation.

He also asked the about the interval between the college certificate and the transcript which is just 24 days but he retorted by saying that, “I don’t know because I’m not a mathematician. I didn’t work as an admission officer at the United States university.”

He added that though his international passport did not show he attended Adeleke’s graduation in the United States, he actually attended the ceremony.

After the cross examination of the two witnesses, Adeleke’s counsel closed his case.

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Tertsea Kume, adjourned till January 13 for adoption of final written address by all parties. (Nigerian Tribune, except for rejigged headline)

Update news