A presiding officer at Naituyupaki primary school in Narok North Sub County, who was arrested for allegedly being involved in election malpractice, will remain in police custody for ten days as police conclude investigations.
The suspect, Ms. Lilian Cheptoo Kibweso was arrested Wednesday at the Narok North’s Maasai Girls tallying centre, after it emerged that the gubernatorial results in her polling station had been tampered with.
According to information presented in court by the Narok Senior Principal Prosecution Counsel Duncan Ondimu, the presiding officer filled form 37A which was placed on the ballot box and reflected Ntutu Patrick with 34 votes and Richard Kenta with 470 votes.
However, when the presiding officer brought the results to the tallying centre, she delivered an altered form which had interchanged the results to read Ntutu Patrick 470 votes and Moitalel Kenta 34 votes.
He also informed the court that when the suspect delivered the second form, she did not have a copy of what had been placed in the ballot box but rather she produced the form which had figures which had been swapped between the two candidates.
Ondimu said the investigations are complex and require detailed analysis and recording of statements from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials of candidates for the position of governor who are still engaged in tallying of votes.
He said that among the offences the investigators are scrutinizing include making a false entry into a record contrary to section 6(a) of the Election Offences Act.
According to the prosecutor, the brief evidence gathered so far shows that the respondent was actively involved in commission of the offence.
Narok senior resident magistrate Phyllis Shinyada allowed the police to continue holding the suspect in custody for ten days as they carry out investigations.
By Ann Salaton
