BY NT CORRESPONDENT.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino beat me through violence, Jubilee aspirant tells court.
Mr Francis Mureithi told the court that Babu instigated violence during the August 8 General Election.
While testifying in an election petition where he is challenging Babu’s win, Mureithi told the court that Babu supporters caused violence on the voting day which disenfranchised his supporters.
“Due to the fear of violence by Babu, his supporters and the complacency of security agencies many of my supporters feared for the lives and they did not turn up to vote. My supporters were disenfranchised and were denied their constitutional right to vote,” he told Justice Joseph Sergon.
Mureithi who garnered 39,805 votes against Babu’s 43,862, claimed that Babu supporters attacked Joseph Obiende of Amani National Congress at the Lower Savannah Soweto Social hall on August 8 who went into a coma and admitted in the ICU.
He claimed that Owino committed an election offence by declaring himself the winner before the votes were tallied.
“Babu obviously committed an election offence by declaring himself the winner before the results were declared.
He intimidated the Returning officer where he threatened to kill someone.
“Mimi nimeshinda Mureithi, na lazima ni tangazwe mshindi ama nitaua mtu hapa,” he alleged.
Mureithi said that some polling Stations like Soweto and Spring Valley Primary schools, were marred with violence.
He told the court that Babu Owino announced himself as winner after he threatened the returning officer.
“Babu Owino was caught on camera bribing voters with money at green span polling stations and the video is in court,” said Murithi.
He said that his agents were not allowed to enter tallying Centre at East African of Aviation. He said the information he was given by the returning officer who is Mr. Wambugu.
“Spring Valley polling station was also marred with violence escalated by Babu Owino, “said Muriithi.
At stream 6 Owino got 92 but was switched to 24.He said that Owino’s supporters attacked Joseph Obiende who was a member of Amani Congress at Lower Savanna Soweto Social hall who went into a comma and admitted in the ICU.
In his petition through lawyer Ham Lagat, Mureithi pointed that most form 35B forms were not signed by IEBC officials.
Babu has also been accused of conniving with police officers to compromise the election process.
While being cross-examined Mureithi also accused Owino of bribing voters and of moving from one polling station to another disrupting voting.”
Babu was caught on Camera bribing voters at the Greenspan polling Station and the video has been produced in court as evidence.” he alleged.
Mureithi has put IEBC on the spot for replacing election officials on the voting day.
He wants the entire election nullified and the IEBC ordered to conduct fresh elections.
