Busia county judge Francis Tuiyott has overthrown a petition against Butula Member of Parliament Michael Onyura Aringo and upheld his victory.
Onyura in court and in the second, his supporters break to dances outside Busia High court after the ruling.
In his one and half ruling at Busia High court today, Tuiyott observed that although the petitioner,Philip Ogutu Osore raised allegations of bribery, violence against supporters of Onyura’s opponents and anomalies in the results released by IEBC, he failed to prove the allegations with substantial evidence in court.
He therefore ruled, “Considering the above, I dismiss the petition and uphold that the first respondent was duely elected by the people of Butula whose will has to be respected ”
The petitioner had petitioned the victory of Onyura on the grounds that the election was marred with violence against Onyura’s proponents supporters, voter rigging and bribery.
The judge also ordered that the petitioner pay two million shillings which will be shared between the second and third respondent in the case.
Immediately after the ruling, Ho. Onyura’s supporters who had jammed the court went up in jubilation, singing and dancing as they hailed the MP who was present.
They later went to Busia streets where they extended their celebrations over the ruling.
While addressing the press shortly after the ruling, Onyura expressed his satisfaction over the ruling and said it should serve as a lesson to other people who take cases to courts in bad faith.
He promised to serve Butula people diligently and fulfill his pledges to them.
During the last general elections held on 4th March 2013, Michael Onyura took first position after garnering 12,325 votes followed by Joseph Mayero Oyula who had 10,936 while the incumbent MP Alfred Odhiambo came third with 8,881 votes, followed by George Wesonga who was forth with 2,429 votes.
