In Togo, the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) announced on Monday, August 21, the removal of Togolese citizen Esso-hana Ware from the electoral list and his conviction by the court for multiple registrations on the electoral lists resulting from the recent census.
The National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) of Togo declared its commitment to credible and transparent elections, as it works diligently to ensure the integrity of the electoral process. In a recent statement, CENI reported the case of Togolese citizen Esso-hana Ware, who was brought to justice for being registered multiple times on the electoral lists, in violation of the Togolese electoral code.
Esso-hana Ware appeared before the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Lomé High Court on Friday, August 18, 2023. He faced accusations from the Public Ministry and CENI regarding his multiple registrations on the electoral lists during the electoral census held from April 29 to June 14, 2023, across the country.
After the census, CENI conducted a thorough verification of biographical and biometric data to detect possible multiple registrations in accordance with Article 61 of the electoral code. This operation revealed ninety-one thousand (91,000) potential cases of duplicates. Among them, the case of Esso-hana Ware drew the attention of CENI, as he had registered thirteen times with clearly usurped names and first names.
Consequently, CENI initiated legal proceedings against Esso-hana Ware based on Article 123 of the electoral code, which provides for sanctions for fraudulent registrations on the electoral lists. After the hearings, Esso-hana Ware was found guilty and sentenced to twelve (12) months of imprisonment, along with a fine of three thousand (300,000) CFA Francs. Furthermore, he will be automatically removed from the electoral lists for a period of three (03) years, in accordance with Article 1184 of the new Togolese penal code.
CENI reiterated its commitment to elections that adhere to the principle of “one voter, one vote.” It called on all election stakeholders, including political parties and civil society organizations, to contribute to the establishment of reliable electoral lists and to actively participate in credible, transparent, and peaceful electoral consultations.
