Oswago has previously denied involvement in any corrupt activities when he was the IEBC Chief Executive Officer/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 8 – Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chief Executive Officer James Oswago and a broker at the centre of the Chickengate saga, Trevy Oyombra, were arrested Wednesday over the scam linked to British firm Smith and Ouzman, whose top executives were jailed in the UK.
The two who were nabbed from their Nairobi homes by officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) were due in court later in the day, according to officials at Integrity Centre.
They were arrested alongside Hamida Ali Kibwana, all accused of corruption in printing contracts for materials of the last General Election where prices were inflated by huge amounts for kick backs.
“They were picked up this morning and will be going to court any time now,” an EACC official told Capital FM News on Wednesday morning.
Oswago has previously denied involvement in any corrupt activities when he was the IEBC Chief Executive Officer.
The anti-graft body exonerated former IEBC Chairman Issack Hassan and other commissioners from corruption allegations in the Chickengate scandal.
A British government report sent to the Attorney-General had named commissioners and tender committee members who allegedly received money from Smith and Ouzman to help the firm win a ballot paper printing tender.
The documents filed in the UK paint Oswago as having worked closely with Oyombra to inflate prices.
According to the UK investigators, Oyombra was a central player in the “chicken” scandal by virtue of being S&O’s agent in Kenya.
He would negotiate bribes to be given to top IIEC and KNEC officials by the British firm in exchange for lucrative tenders.
The kickbacks would be channelled through his account at Kenya Commercial Bank, disguised as his commission.
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