Former Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma (L) and Lawyer James Orengo (R) at Kisumu High Court. [Photo|nation]

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Lawyers representing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang' Nyong’o in the election petition filed by former Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma have raised question over the authenticity of testimonies presented by the petitioner’s witnesses.

The petition, filed by Ranguma seeks to nullify the election of Prof. Nyong’o citing electoral malpractices.

Speaking before Justice David Majanja at Kisumu High Court, IEBC lawyer Edwin Mukele said that Jack Odera, an Information Technology (IT) expert hired by the petitioner was unable to demonstrate his expertise and authenticity when he cited that about 300 Form 34 A and 34 B he had examined had discrepancies.

Mukele added that the IT expert was also unable to prove whether he had acquired lawful authority to access the IEBC servers when he probed the 300 alleged Forms.

 Claims by one of the petitioner’s agents, Duncan Okumu that a signature appended on Form 37 A at Disi Secondary School polling station did not belong to him, Mukele sought the court to get an expert to verify the claims of the witness.

Siaya Senator James Orengo, who is also Prof. Nyong’o’s lawyer, told the court that in his affidavits, the petitioner has not mentioned any name of a person or even a single polling station out of the 1027 stations in the county connected to the purported electoral malpractices.

He also faulted some of the petitioner’s agents who had earlier on testified in court for unlawfully wandering across different polling stations while they only had legal accreditation to monitor the process in one respective polling station.

The evidence tabled by the petitioner, Orengo said did has not met the minimum threshold required to nullify an election adding that his client won overwhelmingly against his contender with over 50,000 votes.

The hearing of the case will continue November 29th, 30th and December 1st where Justice Majanja will listen to testimonies from the respondents witnesses.