Wajir Governor petition: Witness denies bribe claims

A witnesses in the Wajir governor election petition was yesterday asked to explain claims he had demanded money to drop his testimony.

The witnesses was also questioned about allegations that agents of the Jubilee candidate, Hassan Adam, were intimidated, threatened and thrown out of some polling stations on the election day.

Farhan Abdi Gulle, a witness, was pushed by the defence lawyers to explain claims that he had demanded Sh100,000 from the county government so as not to testify in the case.

The court heard that the witness, who was the chief agent of Jubilee Party in Wajir West constituency, had asked for the money on Monday in exchange of dropping his testimony in the election petition against Governor Ahmed Ablullahi.

Business deals

The allegations emerged while the witness was being cross-examined by Abdullahi’s lawyer Omwanza Ombati over his testimony in the petition filed by Hassan Adan Mohammed.

“Can you confirm to this court that you asked for Sh100,000 from the county government so as not to testify in this case?” asked Ombati.

He also questioned the witness on his business dealings with the county government.

In response, the witness denied the allegations of demanding the money to drop his testimony.

Regarding his claims that Jubilee party agents were thrown out of stations, the witness explained that only one was evicted after fighting with a presiding officer.

He, however, recanted claims that Abdullahi interfered with voting at eight polling stations.

Justice George Nduru, who is hearing the case,  heard that Gulle is a county government driver. The court further heard that besides being an employee, Gulle does business with the county government.

He confirmed that he had supplied a generator and pipes to the county government.