Supreme Court allows Wajir Governor Abdi Mohamud to table new evidence

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed embattled Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mohamud to put in additional evidence relating to his academic certificates.

The court said that Rule 18 allows the court to accept new evidence and is not an accidental provision adding that it will not depart from previous findings. Further, the court ruled that the additional evidence will not be prejudicial to other parties.

The court also enjoined the Deputy Governor Ahmed Ali Muktar in the petition.

In the ruling, the Supreme Court judges said they were not convinced that Mr. Mohamud was given a fair hearing before the High Court and the Appellate Court.

Mohamud, through lawyer Tom Macharia, told the judges that his education credentials were attacked erroneously, yet he holds a degree from Kampala University, which is lawfully accredited by the Commission for Higher Education.

The Supreme Court also directed lawyer Macharia to file affidavits and the respondents, including Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and former Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, to file theirs for an early hearing date to be granted.

The Governor moved to the top court in the land challenging the Court of Appeal’s decision that nullified his election.

Justices Philip Waki, Asike Makhandia and Patrick Kiage nullified the election on grounds that the Governor blundered by failing to appear in court and rebut claims that he does not possess a university degree.