By KEVA LIGHTBOURNE, Guardian Senior Reporter, kdl@nasguard.com

With approximately 60 more witnesses to be called to the stand by the legal team of Marco City MP Zhivargo Laing, the election court battle could likely run into June.

Fred Smith, lead counsel for Laing, confirmed to the court yesterday that he had only gone through about 10 of the remaining 70 witnesses he had left to call.

Smith began his case before Election Court judges — Senior Justice Anita Allen and Justice Jon Isaacs — in late March.

It was at that time, attorneys for both Laing and Progressive Liberal Party Senator Pleasant Bridgewater indicated to the court that they were pushing to have the case wrapped up by the end of April.

Bridgewater is challenging 81 people on the grounds that they are not Bahamian citizens or were not ordinarily resident in Marco City during the relevant period leading up to last year's election.

Laing of the Free National Movement and State Minister for Finance, is challenging 23 persons.

During court proceedings yesterday, his attorney Smith, called husband and wife Shakara and Rafael Laing to the stand.

Shakara's vote is being challenged by Bridgewater.

The witness testified that she and her husband were living in an apartment at Dogfish Street, Caravel Beach, in July 2005.

She said it was sometime after her birthday on August 5, that it was discovered that the apartment had a "pest problem" which made her "very uncomfortable." She said there were lots of centipedes in the apartment. And after discovering one in their bed, she "grabbed" her belongings and personal items and left never to return.

The witness said she went to her mother's place at 28B Gilbert Crest, but her husband remained at the apartment. Eventually, Mrs Laing said her husband complained to the landlord about the problem and they tried to correct the situation, but to no avail.

In November 2005, she said the lease was terminated and her husband joined her at her mother's home where they stayed for about two weeks.

In December 2005, the witness said they rented a place at Outlaw Lane, where they lived until September 2006. The following month, she said they began to experience marital problems, and she left their Outlaw Lane apartment and went back to her mother's place at Gilbert Crest.

Mrs Laing testified that by the end of January 2007, they had reconciled and took out a home loan at the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation. She said they eventually purchased a home at 14 Widgen Road, where they currently live.

Under cross-examination by Davis, the witness admitted that when she applied to the corporation for a loan she listed her address as 10 Outlaw Lane. Outlaw Lane is in the High Rock constituency. According to evidence revealed in court, that is where her husband registered and voted.

When Mr Laing was called to the witness stand, he related a similar story to the court.

The Marco City case was adjourned to Tuesday 10.30 a.m.