BY SAM ALFAN.
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja have been given 30 days to file their submissions in a case where anti-graft body is questioning Samboja’s academic qualifications.
Appearing before High court James Makau the parties agreed to file their submissions within one month.
In the matter EACC questioned both the degree certificates presented by Samboja for him to be cleared to vie the Taita Taveta gubernatorial seat in 2017 General election.
“All parties are directed to file their submissions within next 30 days”, Judge Makau directed.
In the case, Samboja sought to stop investigations into claims that he forged his academic certificates and prosecuting him for alleged forgery of the academic papers.
The EACC said the papers the Governor holds are forgeries after Kenyatta University disowned them.
But Samboja said EACC has assumed the role of a prosecutor and judge and already found him guilty.
He said EACC forcefully sought to obtain documentary evidence from him contrary to the constitution. He adds that EACC has maliciously recommended to the Director of Public Prosecutions that he be charged.
He pleaded with the court to declare that the alleged misleading information in the self-declaration form submitted to the IEBC does not amount to corruption offence or a matter within the mandate of EACC.
Samboja won the Taita Taveta gubernatorial seat on Wiper Democratic Movement ticket, but the Commission said he forged his academic papers, to be cleared.
He claims to hold a certificate in Project Management, Diploma in Human Resource Management and bachelor of Commerce degree, all from Kenyatta University.
But the Anti-graft body said it made inquiries from the institution and was told that Samboja is not a graduate of the institution and has never studied at KU.
The institution dismissed claims that he did graduate with Bachelor of Commerce in 2009 as he alleges and the documents he purports to hold, are therefore forgeries.
Kenyatta University said there are no records to indicate that he was a student at the institution.
The university said their internal search revealed that Samboja had not applied for obtained admission or attended the institution as a student for a certificate, diploma and degree in project management, human resource management and Bachelor of Commerce respectively.
Samboja is said to have graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2009.
Although EACC wrote to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) informing them of the forgeries, the commission went ahead and cleared him to contest.
The anti-graft body maintains that Samboja did not meet the educational requirements to contest the position because he fabricated his academic papers.
