Governor Joho Wins as Court Rejects Hassan Omar's Evidence

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho on Thursday got a major win after the High Court rejected seven witnesses of his challenger Hassan Omar.

Mombasa High Court Judge Lydia Achode, while delivering the ruling, noted that the evidence from the seven witnesses had been collected from third parties and as such, it could not be authenticated.

The Judge further noted that if Mr Omar's other evidence submitted before the court does not meet the required threshold it would be thrown out.

[caption caption="File image of Justice Lydia Achode"][/caption]

Judge Achode also rejected form 37C provided by the ex-Senator on grounds that it was not admissible.

The directive to reject the witnesses was delivered following an application by Governor Joho seeking to expunge all evidence provided by Mr Omar for lack of compliance.

[caption caption="Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar testifying in the petition"][/caption]

The Governor, through his advocates, requested the court to reject the exhibits since they were from third parties.

“Witnesses are reminded that they should give evidence in their knowledge. He (Mr Omar) has made serious allegations such as bribery (which) he says he was told,” Joho's lawyer Mohammed Balala submitted.

This is the second major ruling to be delivered in the case in the past the past two months as previously, the same judge threw out Governor Joho's application seeking for the dismissal of the petition.

Through his lawyers, Joho had asked the court to throw out the entire petition for failing to meet set standards in regard to evidence and witnesses.

[caption caption="File image of Governor Hassan Joho in court"][/caption]

Delivering her ruling, Justice Achode declined to throw out the petition stating that no sufficient reasons had been provided to warrant such an order.