Safaricom staff face probe over Nasa claims

Director of Public Prosecution Keriako Tobiko. He has told Nasa that Jubilee Chief Agent Davis Chirchir and six Safaricom employees will be investigated over possible poll meddling. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• The DPP directed the investigations be completed in 21 days and the file be forwarded top his office for directions.
• Mr Oluoch demanded a “comprehensive and expeditious investigations” into the allegations.

By SAM KIPLAGAT
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A team of senior prosecutors will assist in investigating six employees of Safaricom named by National Super Alliance (Nasa) over possible meddling with August 8 election results.

Also to be investigated is Jubilee Chief Agent Davis Chirchir.

In a letter to Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Nasa lawyers, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Keriako Tobiko said he has assigned a team of prosecutors to provide technical guidance and assistance in investigating the matter.

The DPP directed the investigations be completed in 21 days and the file be forwarded top his office for directions, in the letter also copied to anti-corruption commission CEO Halakhe Waqo.

The DPP asked Mr Muhoro to conduct a "thorough, comprehensive and expeditious" investigations into the allegations.

SERVERS

Nasa, through lawyer Anthony Oluoch wrote to the DPP on September 29 demanding the investigation of Mr Thibaud Rerolle (French National Director Technical and IT Safaricom), Antony Gachanja (Head of Technology Security), Shaka Kwach (Head of Special Projects-in charge of elections), Robert Mutai (Head of Technology Strategy, Assurance and Governance), Farouk Gaffour (Head of Network and Services Operations) and Andrew Masila (Senior Manager, Strategy and Architecture).

The opposition had accused Mr Chirchir of illegally accessing Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers.

They alleged that he accessed the IEBC server and computer systems using a username "dkchirchir" and user email “dkchirchir@gmail.com” on August 8 and August 10.

ILLEGALITIES

Nasa claimed that between July 25 and August 11, 2017 at the Safaricom Limited Headquarters, the six employees, acting in concert with others intentionally and or recklessly damaged and interfered with Kenya Integrated Election Management System (Kiems) kits used in the polls.

The party has also written to the DPP demanding the investigation of IEBC officials over possible irregularities and illegalities as pointed out by the Supreme Court.

Safaricom however dismissed the accusations as “reckless, callous and unnecessary” and warned that the allegations could endanger the lives of its members of staff and families.

Chief Executive Bob Collymore, in a statement, said they were ready to be investigated by any agency on the role they played in the elections.