City lawyer Robert Akumu put to task over his integrity as he seeks to become IEBC chairman

A candidate seeking to become chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Robert Akumu Asembo, had a difficult time explaining to the selection panel why he wants to be the top job yet he has various cases in court touching on his integrity.

The panel shared memoranda from Kenyans questioning his ability to lead the commission citing his questionable conduct as a lawyer with pending cases in court.

The Committee Chairperson, Nelson Makanda,questioned the city lawyer why the panel would allow itself to violate Article Six of the Constitution on Leadership and Integrity.

“Kenyans are complaining that you have not paid them their money, and so if we were to make this decision, don’t you think we would be in gross violation of Chapter Six of the Constitution?” Makanda paused

“This panel is forced to make a decision not based on the presentation you have made, but on the memoranda presented by Kenyans which you have either declined, that you are unaware, you have said you have a conviction and are waiting for an appeal,” he added.

Answering the question, Akumu asked the Selection Panel to be fair to him and his accusers by listening to both sides and forwarding his name for nomination by the president.

“I don’t think so, chair, because these are allegations. I need to be convincing and I am controverting. You have to be fair to my accusers and me, the accused, too.” Akumu stated.

The lawyer  denied having cases in court, yet documents in court proved the petitioners right.

“The same matter he denied earlier on, saying he is unaware, and now he is accepting that he settled,” Koki Muli, a member of the selection committee, noted.

The committee revealed that they received a letter from the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) showing the lawyer has five disciplinary matters before their disciplinary committee where he is alleged to have fraudulently taken money from his clients.

The committee vice chairperson Lindah Kiome noted that three of the cases were still pending at LSK while two were resolved.

At the Kibera High Court, a warrant of arrest against Akumu was issued in January this year, and his cash bail dropped after he was convicted for obtaining money by pretense, contrary to Section 313 of the Penal Code.

Court papers seen by The Informer Media Group indicate that Akumu through his legal team had sought the warrant of arrest dropped after he agreed with the complainants to pay the money during the trial but the court declined, saying it did not recognise the agreement.

In his application to the court, Akumu wanted to have the matter settled out of court after the agreement with the aggrieved parties, as he added that it was not fair for his cash bail to be forfeited.

However, the court dismissed his bid, saying he did not make an application over the same.

Akumu is among the three candidates interviewed today as the panel closes the interviews of those eyeing the chairperson’s position and is set to begin the interview for those seeking to become commissioners from tomorrow.

Amongst those already interviewed are former Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi, former Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution chairperson Charles Nyachae, and lawyer Abdulqadir Ramadhan.

Others are former Turkana County Attorney Edung Ethekon, former Deputy Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Kakai Kissinger, former Nairobi County Assembly Clerk Jacob Ngwele, and Kenya Power board chair Joy Brenda Mdivo.

Today, Lillian Wanjiku Manegene was the first to face the panel followed by Akumu while Saul Simiyu is currently before it.