Legal counsel for Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga alleged that Jose Carmago, a Venezuelan, assisted in electoral meddling.
A Form 34A bearing the name Jose Camargo was presented by attorney Julie Soweto in her testimony before the seven-judge bench on Friday, September 2, using a PowerPoint presentation.
According to Julie, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) webpage has a copy of the Form 34A with Camargo’s name on it.
The ballot belonged to the Muguru ward, Meru County, Gacharagu Primary School voting place.
She stated that the mere fact that he is named as having been involved in allegedly tampering with the forms and votes being put on the IEBC portal is sufficient proof of his guilt.
She added that he apparently had a significant influence on choosing the President-elect.
“At the top-hand left corner there, we have the name of one the Venezuelans Jose Camargo. This is the person who decided the President-elect of the country,” she stated.
Soweto as well argued that Azimio La Umoja had earlier raised their concerns regarding Camargo and IEBC assured that they could not infiltrate the system.
“We didn’t make this up! We were told that we forged these forms, but this is how, My Lord, the staging was happening. This is on August 9 when we were told they (Venezuelans) did not have access to the system,” Soweto lamented.
In their response, the Directorate and Criminal Investigation (DCI) accused three Venezuelan nationals, Salvador Javier Suarez, Jose Castellano and Joel Garcia, of accessing the IEBC systems.
The trio were caught were IEBC materials while entering the country via the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
“It was established that the confiscated exhibits had substantial information held in the IEBC systems are in full control of foreign employees of M/S Smartmatic International Holdings B.V. and Seamless Limited who have been contracted by IEBC,” the DCI stated in its report.
IEBC lawyers led by former Attorney General Githu Muigai had earlier dismissed allegations that the Venezuelans had access to the portal.
Through lawyer Eric Gumbo, on September 1, IEBC stated that the three foreigners were contracted by Smartmatic – one of the providers of technology used in the Tuesday, August 9 general election.
He added that the three were tasked with maintaining the technology and ensuring it worked effectively on the polling day.
