High Court dismisses case challenging Sakaja's degree
National
By
Winfrey Owino
| Jul 12, 2022
The High Court has this morning dismissed a case challenging Johnson Sakaja's governorship candidature over his academic qualifications.
According to Justice Anthony Mrima, there was no proof that Sakaja had committed fraud by producing a degree from Team University, Uganda.
However, while giving the verdict, the judge observed that the issue of academic forgery is a menace that will continue until crime agencies act on the culprits.
“IEBC has no right to authenticate degrees. The Court finds no reason to add any other duties to IEBC,” the judge said.
“There was no conclusive evidence by the complainant because the quality of evidence cannot point to the guilt of criminal allegations," Mrima ruled on Tuesday, July 12.
During the Nairobi Governor’s debate last night, the Nairobi senator expressed his optimism about winning the case, saying he was ready to prove it.
When asked if he had a degree he said, “That’s why I am here, That’s why I have been gazetted to run for the governorship of Nairobi. I have a degree and all qualifications required. I will prove it,” Sakaja said.
“I am not working hard to prove that I have a degree, it is my enemies working hard to prove that I don’t have one,” he said hours before the court gave its final verdict.
Three weeks ago, Sakaja moved to the High Court seeking to quash the decision by the Commission for University education, revoking the recognition of his University degree.
In Milimani Law Courts papers, Sakaja argued that the revocation of his Team University degree was done unfairly.
A day before, the Commission on University Education had revoked the degree citing numerous complaints filed over the papers.
A letter from the Commission dated June 14, said it had received material information about the authenticity of the Bachelor of Science in Management degree.
However, after scrutiny, the commission recalled the revocation.
Questions over the credibility of his academic credentials emerged shortly after he was cleared.
That was after a Youtube video shot in 2020 captured Sakaja saying he had a degree from the University of Nairobi, and that he had never studied outside the country.