Graft: Petition Filed To Block Issack Hassan’s Appointment As Court Of Appeal Judge Over Chickengate Scandal

A Kenyan living in the US has filed a petition seeking to block former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission ( IEBC) from being appointed as a Court of Appeal judge in a position that he has applied for over links to corruption.

Peter Makori, has lodged a petition with Judicial Service Commission (JSC) against Issack Ahmed Hassan saying the former IEBC lacks both moral and ethical standing to hold a distinguished position as that of a judge.

Mr. Makora has claimed in the petition that one of the most stinking scandals to ever hit the commission christened ‘chickengate’ had happened under his watch when he was the chairman and insists that back stops with him even if he was not charged and convicted of the crime.

While Mr. Hassan has repeatedly denied any involvement in the rogue deal, the petitioner insists that doesn’t absolve him of wrongdoing and taking responsibility for the scam that happened under his watch.

He adds that the former electoral body boss was adversely mentioned in the scandal involving two directors at London-based Smith and Ousman.

Chickengate

The scandal was christened Chickengate because of the local conduit, Trevy James Oyombra, tasked with dishing out the bribe, had condemned the bribe money ‘chicken’ in correspondences with the UK paymasters.

The two British directors, Nicholas and Christopher Smith were charged and convicted of bribing IEBC officials with Sh50 million in order to sway them into awarding their firm the multibillion shilling tender ahead of the 2012 general elections.

“When the Chickengate scandal was exposed in London, British authorities moved in with speed and apprehended all the actors of British origin, prosecuted and imprisoned them. However, despite the British authorities providing evidence of impropriety involving the Kenyan commissioners and officials..many were let go except for a few who were not lucky,” Makori says in the petition.

He insists Hassan who was amongst the commissioners adversely mentioned in the scam, cannot claim innocence on the basis of not been charged with the crime.

He claims Hassan lacks integrity and moral authority to serve as a judge in Kenya or anywhere else.

“Mr. Hassan does not meet the slightest integrity threshold to be interviewed for the position of the judge of Court of Appeal.” Makori said.

“If he gets a bid from JSC to serve as a judge, it will not only be an atrocious insult to Kenyans but also go along way to degrade the integrity of the Judiciary.”