NATIONAL  ELECTORAL  COMMISSION  (NEC) SECRETARIAT 

OAU  Drive, Tower Hill, Freetown

PRESS  RELEASE

Update on the Electoral Process

As at the 19th July 2012, the National Electoral Commission oversaw the distribution of Two Million One Hundred and Eighty-Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Nine (2,182.989) Voter ID Cards: out of a total of Two Million Six Hundred and Sixty-Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty-Six (2,663,746) on the Provisional Voters Register. The Total No. of Claims nationwide is as follows:

Objection Cases- 29

Correction Cases- 17,309

Inclusion Cases- 32,906

Re-registration Cases- 22,830

The Commission appreciates the services of Justice of the Peace and members of the Council of Principal of Secondary Schools in Sierra Leone serving as Inquiry Officers for the conduct of the Inquiry process from 19th-20th July 2012 in each of the 394 Wards nationwide. Cases of Objection, Rejection and Inclusion are being dealt with.

The addition data from the process will be consolidated, uploaded and matched with the general Biometric Voter Registration data base in Brussels, Belgium and then Voters ID Cards will be printed from the 4th-5th August 2012.

Members of the public who did not  collect their Voter ID Cards during the exhibition period at their respective centres may collect them from the NEC District offices as from Wednesday 1st August 2012.

The Electoral Offences Court was formally launched by the Hon. Chief Justice on the 19th July 2012 at the Law Courts Building in order to handle electoral offences. The 794 fraudulent duplicate cases are currently under investigation and prosecution will be done by the Sierra Leone Police in accordance with the Electoral Laws of Sierra Leone.

Post Inquiry Process Activities

Distribution of Voters ID Cards

The Commission will distribute Inclusion voter ID Cards in the affected centers during the last week of August 2012 at the original centers where registrations took place.

Signed:

…………………

Christian A.M. Thorpe (Dr)

Chief Electoral Commissioner/Chairperson

National Returning Officer