Man beaten and detained for voting twice in Yei
Ngorcan Awach, a student of Bright Horizon secondary school, was pursued by polling officials and security agents from Yei Day Centre (B) and captured and beaten by a mob in YTTC village. Trouble started when Ngorcan, who had voted the previous day, again appeared at the same centre and cast a ballot using a registration card belonging to another voter identified as Philip Piol.
Voters are supposed to dip part of the same finger in indelible ink as a measure aimed at preventing multiple voting.
The chairman of Yei Day Centre (B), John Moro Modi, disclosed that Ngorcan was identified by the official in charge of the inking desk, where all voters are required to put their left-hand index finger in the ink-pot. After casting their ballot, voters are supposed to dip part of the same finger in indelible ink as a measure aimed at preventing multiple voting, which contravenes electoral laws.
He presented a voter’s card, was issued a ballot paper and cast the vote, but was identified by the inker as having previously voted. He tried to force his finger in the ink-pot but our staff alerted us”, Moro explained. The polling centre head noted that it was during the confusion that the voter decided to flee. Officials and security personnel gave chase until he was apprehended by villagers who beat him mercilessly.
Villagers slapped, kicked and shouted at the young man calling him an agent of Northern Arabs who want to frustrate efforts of Southerners in their quest for independence and freedom. Ngorcan was later handed to security and taken into custody at Yei Police station.
The referendum outreach programme manager in Yei, Simon Khemis Mabe, says the registration card belonging to Philip Piol was recovered from the suspect and police were yet to find out the motive of his actions. Khemis said the suspect attempted to run away when questioned by polling officials, prompting police constables to pursue him as he fled into the neighbouring village.
A criminal investigations officer at Yei Police station, Onen Sabino, disclosed to SUDANVOTES that they were still waiting for an exhibit of the card from the referendum subcommittee officials to start investigations into the matter.
I did not know it was wrong to vote for another person.\"
Standing behind the police counter, Ngorcan complained of headache and backache due to the beatings by the mob, in addition to losing his pair of slippers during the incident. He said his brother Philip Piol was in Juba and asked him to cast the ballot on his behalf, as he had no money for transport to Yei, where he had registered to vote. I did not know it was wrong to vote for another person. If I knew I would have refused”, the suspect confessed. Despite the vote being secret, Ngorcan says he voted for secession of the South and appealed for leniency asking authorities to pardon him for his mistake.
The 2009 Southern Sudan Referendum Act considers voting on behalf of another person, whether living or dead, as illegal impersonation. Article 60 of the same Act provides for a jail sentence not exceeding two years, a fine, or both for anyone convicted of the offence by a competent court.
