Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chief executive officer (CEO) has been sentenced to four years in prison after the High Court upheld his conviction.
According to reports, James Oswago, the former IEBC CEO was convicted to serve four years for the irregular award of a Ksh1.3 billion tender for the supply of voter materials for the 2013 General Elections.
Oswago, was in 2022 found guilty alongside IEBC Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of Support Services Wilson Kiprotich Shollei for the irregularity and magistrate Felix Kombo convicted the two on two counts of willful failure to comply with procurement laws.
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However, after the conviction, Oswago and Shollei went on to file separate appeals at the High Court to challenge their conviction and sentencing arguing that the evidence presented against them was insufficient and that the High Court should reconsider.
But on Wednesday, Justice Nixon Sifuna threw out their appeals stating that the prosecution had provided enough grounds to convict the duo and therefore should serve the years that they were convicted.
“As for the sentences, they were not harsh, not too lenient nor illegal. I therefore find no basis or justification for disturbing the sentences as imposed. You should have mantained high level of accountability particularly because of how highly-charged elections in Kenya can be.”
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission further, since the pair were found guilty of abuse of office and willful failure to comply with the procurement laws, they were ineligible to hold public office in future,
Oswago was accused of approving the multi-billion shilling supply of the devices without ascertaining that the devices supplied were inspected and met all the technical specifications in the contract.
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Oswago and Shollei will now be subjected to a fine of KSh 7.5 million or a four-year jail term each and two other co-accused Edward Kenga and Willy Gachanja were acquitted after the court found no evidence linking them to any offence.