Embakasi East MP Paul Ongili alias Babu Owino has refuted claims that he came face to face with ANC candidate Joshua Obiende on August 8th at Soweto social hall polling centre.
While giving his testimony before Justice Joseph Sergon in a petition filed by jubilee candidate Francis Muriithi challenging his win, the MP also refutes claims by Obiende that he attacked and assaulted him.
“I don’t see how he could claim that I attacked him at the centre yet there were so many police officer in the vicinity,” said the MP.
He added that he could not have attacked the ANC candidate because he huge in body size where as he, (Babu) is small bodied person and should be the one intimidated in such a scenario.
He also denied accusations that he rearranged ballot boxes and bribed voters.
Obiende’s criminal record.
In his testimony, Babu Owino said that he has known Obiende for some time since he was also vying for the seat on an ODM ticket before being disqualified.
He told the court that Obiende was disqualified because he had a criminal record and did not also meet the required academic qualifications.
“Obiende spent two years in prison for robbery in Nyanza, ” Babu added.
Assault charge
MP Babu Owino told justice Sergon that the assault charge against him by Obiende was meant to influence the outcome of the petition.
“The charge against me was only brought up after the petition was filed, almost two months after the alleged incidence,” he added.
Games by Returning Officer
The MP told the court that he believed that there games being played by the returning officers meant to see him not given the certificate.
“I heard earlier been told that the certificate had been locked inside the store yet all the other certificates for the other positions were there,” Babu said.
Babu said that when he asked for the certificate, the RO told him that it was in the possession of his personal assistant who had been arrested by police.
He said that he called the OCS to confirm the matter and but was told that no such person was in their custody.
“I concluded that the RO was lying and that is when I became angry,” said the MP.
Babu concluded by telling the court that most winners for the other positions from Embakasi were from ODM.
He requested the court to dismiss the petition with costs since he believed the elections were free, fair and credible.
Another witness who testified told the court that she saw Muriithi giving out maize flour to people who supported Jubilee party about a month to the elections.
Muriithi’s unga handout
Zipporah Ngota who is the Chairlady of Vumilia Estate in Embakasi East said that she saw him giving women and children the flour and told men to stay aside as they would be given money.
However, no where in the video played in court of Muriithi giving out the flour did it show him saying or giving out money to men.
According to the last year amended constitution, giving out staff other that money during elections or campaign period is no longer considered a bribe. It is termed as treating.
Bribing only comes in when money is involved.
