Former Attorney General Amos Wako has challenged the United States to make public full particulars of the corruption allegations that have led to his being barred from travelling to the country.

He termed the ban malicious, saying the corruption allegations against him infringed on his fundamental rights. “I am against corruption. The people of Kenya are entitled to full disclosure of any corruption allegations against me… I’m a man of integrity both when I was the  Attorney General and now as a senator,” said Wako.

The Busia senator, who spoke for the first time yesterday since the travel ban on Monday, however, said his tribulations with the US government could be attributed to his failure in prosecuting suspects in graft-related cases during his 21-year tenure as AG.  He was quick to point out that he could not process cases not brought before him, saying there was not a single corruption case presented on his table that he failed to process.

Addressing a press conference at Parliament Buildings yesterday, Wako asked the Donald Trump administration to furnish him with all the evidence, if any, that led to the ban.

Soft spot

“I am tempted to believe the US government could be targeting others but used me as the soft spot to test waters,” Wako said without elaborating.

He indicated the reasons given on November 4, 2009 for the revocation of his visa and the permanent suspension of entry into the United States were for engaging in corrupt actions that adversely affected the national interests of the US.

“The allegations are related to my period as AG. It is an old story being resuscitated for reasons best known to them. Instead of dealing with developments since the travel ban 10 years ago, one wonders why should it be issued when there is already one in place,” he said.

He added: “My attorney in Washington DC in October 2012, applied to receive copies of all documents leading to the revocation of my visa and the only allegations against me was lack of prosecution of corruption cases — allegations which I had responded to and challenged them to give me one case that I refused to prosecute but they were unable to”. 

Wako explained that since the ban 10 years ago, he has been a perpetual visitor to the US attending meetings at the United Nations headquarters as the commissioner of the UN Commission for United Law. “This is a small thing, although I do not desire to travel to the US, the ban has not in any way stopped me from overseeing my roles in the UN,” he said.

One-man show

On the said ban on his wife and son, Wako said his family was not involved at all when he was discharging his functions as the AG. 

“My son is an adult and a good and successful legal practitioner living an independent life. Even if I committed the sin of corruption, which I emphatically deny, it would be my personal responsibility and my wife and son and indeed all members of my family should not be punished for my sins. The mention of my wife and son was in bad taste,”said Wako.  

On Monday, the US through Secretary of State Michael Pompeo banned Wako from visiting the country alongside his wife Flora Ngaira and son Julius Wako over his (Wako) involvement in ‘significant corruption’ while serving as AG.

But yesterday, the Senator faulted the US government for not providing substantial evidence of his involvment.

“It took six months for the US government to respond to my lawyers and even then gave no substantive reasons as to why it had slapped me with the ban,” he said, adding that the US “never found Wako guilty of any corruption case”. 

In 2009, the then Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson said that Wako had been banned from the US because he was seen an obstacle to fight against graft.

Critics claimed Wako often  submitted to political pressure  and failed to prosecute senior government officials accused of graft—something he strongly denies and  blames on weak court systems.