The software developer at the center of the University of Ghana SRC election admits the process was compromised to favor one candidate but denies been the architect, a highly placed source at the BNI has told Joy News.
According to the source, investigations are still underway to bring closure to the electronic voting system at the center of the controversy. The Bureau of National Investigations said they acted swiftly in the University of Ghana Students Representative Council election because it had potential national security implications.
The interest of the Bureau, according to the investigator is to further address the allegation of manipulation of ballots used in the polls and to ensure fair play in the choice of the students in choosing their leaders.
The software developer, Stephen Forson who is the managing director of IPRO Solutions contracted by the university was picked up by the BNI on the 14th of April but has been released on bail pending further investigations.
There were allegations the University of Ghana’s SRC election contested between Davies Ohene Fobi and Mikdad Mohammed had been manipulated to favour one candidate. This led to confusion and series of demonstration on the University of Ghana campus.
The BNI took over issue after a formal complaint was filed at their office by one of the candidates in the election, Joy News learnt. Joy News’ source at the BNI confirmed that initial investigations suggest that the software was tampered with by a yet to be identified person to the advantage of one of the candidates.
Information picked by Joy News indicates that the Bureau retrieved six laptop computers used as servers in the said election for examination. Using personal laptop provided by the software developer, Stephen Forson a practical demonstration was conducted on its application in the presence of the developer and his father, George Amoah Baiden and other independent persons.
During the demonstration, five voters were added to the University’s electoral roll and Forson was given one of the laptops used in the actual voting to demonstrate how the voting system works in a two man race.
The results after the demonstration showed clearly that the system had been manipulated to favor one candidate as all but one vote went to a particular candidate though they had voted for another.
Source at the BNI says Forson admitted the system which was used in four previous elections at the university has been compromised but denied being the architect.
“What I can say is that Forson as the brand owner of the software is the only person who knows how it works and could manipulate it because not even the Electoral Commissioner who conducted the elections knew how the process worked,” the source indicated.
Joy News is also learning from the investigations that regardless of which candidates one votes for, the electronic voting system is programmed to credit a specific candidate with all the votes from voters whose identification numbers end with an even number whilst votes cast by voters whose identification numbers end with an odd numbers are shared equally between the two candidates.
It also came out clear that architects of the manipulation did so to favor Davies Ohene Fobi and he was credited with all votes cast by students with voters ID numbers ending with an even number even if they voted for the other candidate Mikdad Mohammed.
“We have forwarded our report to the authorities of university but we are looking for the other persons believed to have played a role in the whole exercise because Forson has admitted someone other than him did it,” according to the source.
The Bureau is also denying reports in the media alleging that Forson when arrested was tortured by people at the Flagstaff House and later handed to the BNI.
“Let’s clear the air and say that he was taken from his residence by our officers on the morning of 14th April at about 6am following reports received, we are still continuing our investigations and once it is done will forward the docket to the Attorney Generals Department for advice,” the source intimated.
