Blogger Alai in the dock over 'annoying tweet'

Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Issack Hassan on Wednesday told a court that he did not attend a meeting at the Karen Blixen Club as alleged by blogger Robert Alai Onyango in a posting on Twitter.

“I did not attend a meeting at the club with Justice Isaac Lenaola, Mr Hussein Ali and the former head of public service Francis Kimemia as alleged by Mr Onyango in a tweet message he posted on March 24, 2013,” Mr Hassan told the principal magistrate, Mr Joseph Karanja.

Mr Hassan was testifying in a case in which Mr Onyango is accused of mentioning the former head of public service, Mr Kimemia, on two "annoying" tweet messages.

He said he was falsely accused of attending the alleged meeting at the Karen club.

TRANSFER OF POWER

In the tweet, Mr Onyango alleged that Justice Lenaola was the go-between and that the transition committee arranging the handover of power from retired President Mwai Kibaki to President Uhuru Kenyatta had begun its work.

Admitting that he was at the club on that day, Mr Hassan said he was meeting lawyer Ahmednassir Abdullahi and not Mr Kimemia, Mr Hussein or Justice Lenaola.

The IEBC chairman said he was not a member of the transition committee.

“Do you know who this Mr Hussein Ali is ?” the prosecutor, Inspector Charles Wanjohi, asked Mr Hassan.

“No, I do not know him, but I assume he was referring to the former police commissioner,” Mr Hassan answered.

“And can you tell this court whether you were a member of the transition committee,” Inspector Wanjohi inquired.

“No, I was not a member of the transition committee which organized about the power change,” Mr Hassan replied.

“Do you know Mr Onyango, the accused herein?” Inspector Wanjohi asked.

“No, I do not know him,” he replied.

The prosecutor said he would call Justice Lenaola before closing the case against Mr Onyango.

The trial of Mr Onyango was adjourned until October 24, when Justice Lenaola will take the witness box.