Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has now been summoned to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over alleged forgery of his KCSE results slip.
Coast DCI Regional Coordinator Pius Macharia on Monday sent Joho a letter directing him to appear before Assistant Inspector General of Police, Samwel Nyambengi at the Mombasa DCI headquarters on Tuesday at 10am.
"I do hereby require you, Ali Hassan Joho, to personally appear before Mr Samuel O Nyambengi, an Assistant Inspector General of Police investigating the alleged offence on March 28, 2017, at 10 am at the regional DCI headquarters Mombasa for a statement recording relating to a forgery of a 1992 examination slip in your name which is subject to investigation," said the letter.
In a quick rejoinder, Joho wrote back to the regional coordinator stating that he would not be able to appear before the police since he had already scheduled other appointments today.
Joho, however, expressed that he would appear on Wednesday to record the statement.
"As explained to you, by the time of delivering the letter I had already scheduled activities for the following day, March 28, 2017. In view of this, I will not be in a position to appear in your office for the said statement," said Joho.
The Mombasa Governor later took to social media where he described the summons as part of intimidation by the Jubilee government.
"Intimidation continues... I will personally honour the summons on Wednesday at 10.30am. I will be vindicated once again and this will never deter me from pursuing the transformation agenda of my people," Joho wrote.
The controversy around Joho's secondary school credentials began on Sunday when a letter from the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) emerged indicating that the Governor's result slip had allegedly been forged.
“Following your request for verification and confirmation of Joho Hassan Ali results slip as per the letter referenced CID/SEC/4/4/3 dated 25th January, 2017… Joho Hassan Ali did not register nor sat for the year 1992 KCSE examination at Serani Secondary School under index number 160092024," KNEC's acting Chief Executive, Ms Mercy Gathigia Karogo said in her letter dated January 26, 2017.
Joho has strongly denied the forgery claims, with his spokesperson Richard Chacha terming the reports as “continuous but futile efforts by the Jubilee government to discredit Governor Joho”.
“Since 2013, the war has been going on. They started with their bloggers and then turned to the newspapers. There is nobody else in Kenya questioning the legality of Governor Joho’s certificates except Jubilee. Why is that so?” Chacha posed.
Joho's spokesman further told Kenyans.co.ke: "His [Joho] classmates and teacher's are all over Mombasa. They can confirm that these allegations are fake. This is just a desperate move by the Jubilee Government to bring Joho down."
