JSC did not approve projects in Judiciary, says Ahmednasir

Former Judicial Service commissioner Ahmednasir Abdullahi has taken a different stand on procurement and transactions in the Judiciary that later led to alleged irregularities.

Ahmednasir, who appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to respond to findings of an audit report by the Auditor General, said the commission never approved several projects the Judiciary carried out.

The former commissioner who was also the Judicial Service Commission’s (JSC) Finance and Administration chair told the committee that they were not aware that Court of Appeal judges were being moved to Elgon Place.

“At no time did the finance committee initiate the projects,” Ahmednasir told the committee led by Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba.

“We never approved any procurement.”

He told the committee that former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary (CRJ) Gladys Shollei was involved in initiation of processes that later led to procurement and subsequent acquisition of the premises.

“We were shocked that the Court of Appeal was moving to Elgon Place. The former CRJ procured the premise on her own motion. We were not aware,” he said.

Ahmednasir’s position, however,  contradicts findings of the audit report, which show that JSC in a meeting held on January 21, 2013 authorised the management for Elgon Place “to proceed with speed and finalise the acquisition of the said premises with a view to move the Court of Appeal to the new building.”

Shollei had last week, while appearing before the same committee, accused JSC of interfering with the operations of her office.

Ahmednasir told the committee that the former registrar had hired Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga’s daughter to the Judiciary against merit. “She hired Chepkonga’s daughter together with other 13 officers whose salaries were actually close to those of Court of Appeal judges,” he said.

He also accused Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as working at the behest of a senior Government official to cover a report on investigations concerning the purchase of a Sh310 million residence for the Chief Justice.

“We know the EACC report on Shollei is complete but a Government official is withholding it.”

Contacted for comment, Chepkonga who is also the chair of Parliament’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, denied any of her children working in the Judiciary.

Brigid Konga, said to be the MP’s daughter said: “I am from Baringo County and I am not in any way related to the said MP.”

Mrs Shollei maintained that she was not aware of a separate probe by the EACC saying: “I am not aware of any other probe against me. I am also not surprised by Ahmednasir’s allegations because they are baseless and without prove,” she said.

Former JSC vice chair Christine Mango, who similarly appeared before the committee, defended herself on payment of irregular allowances saying she was representing the Chief Justice in meetings that did not meet a quorum.