IEBC officials held for trying to 'alter' election results

IEBC officials verifying results at the Bomas of Kenya before presidential results were released. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Three people, including two electoral agency officials, were at the weekend arrested for trying to 'change' results of the polls at a tallying centre in Nairobi.

Sixteen presidential ballot boxes were destroyed and materials reportedly altered during the incident on Saturday.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials, a deputy presiding officer and a clerk, had gone to Embakasi Girls where election materials are kept and accessed the store where they obtained ballot boxes and other materials.

They told the officer manning the store that they had been sent by IEBC to get some materials to aid in an election petition filed by NASA.

The officers demanded a court order to allow them in but the officials said they were IEBC officials and did not require such clearance.

Acting on a tip off, the public flush out the two officials who were found writing new materials.

The two were later arrested and detained by DCI officials who rushed to the scene.

They are likely to be charged in court today. The destroyed ballot boxes were kept as exhibits.

This comes in the wake of revelation that 24 IEBC officials are among 85 individuals facing prosecution over election-related offences.

Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko said on Friday he was pursuing 70 criminal cases stemming from the August 8 General Election. The others are non-IEBC officials while two are politicians.

The DPP said the offences range from bribery, failure to perform official duty, illegal possession of ballot papers, impersonation and murder. [Cyrus Ombati]