‘Chickengate’ scam suspect faces suit

After being mentioned adversely in the ‘chickengate’ scandal former electoral commission chief executive James Oswago have moved to sue.

Mr Oswago told Sunday Nation that he had sued UK’s Smith & Ouzman local agent Trevy Oyombra for defamation.

In the scandal, electoral and examination officials are alleged to have received more than Sh50 million in bribes to award contracts to the UK printing firm.

“Trevy made colossal amounts of money. But he did so using other people’s names,” Mr Oswago said.

The demand note was reportedly sent to Mr Oyombra by lawyer Jotham Arwa.

“All the Sh50 million that the public have come to call chicken was pocketed by Trevy contrary to public information that he distributed to some electoral officials including myself. He duped the whole world,” said Mr Oswago.

“Trevy controlled his bosses in the UK to the extent that in his own emails adduced as evidence in the UK court he did not want them to get into direct contact with the public officials alleged to have been the beneficiaries,” he added.

SECOND LEGAL SUIT

Mr Oswago spoke shortly after coming from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Integrity House offices where he recorded a statement on Friday for a second time since the scandal broke in 2014.

The suit would be the second one against Mr Oyombra after former Interim Independent and Electoral Commission commissioner Ken Nyaundi in May 2015 asked the High Court to compel Mr Oyombra to pay him damages for defamation, a public apology in three national dailies and on the internet.

Mr Oyombra’s lawyer Charles Kanjama described the suit claims as “unnecessary sideshow.”

Apart from Mr Oswago, other electoral officials who have been to the Integrity House are current IEBC commissioner Yusuf Nzibo and former commissioners with IIEC Mr Nyaundi and Winnie Guchu.

Ms Guchu is currently a commissioner with the Judicial Service Commission.

Mr Oyombra has also been to the anti-graft offices in the past week.