Yet another twist in Joho’s degree saga

The controversy surrounding the academic credentials of Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho took a new turn after the Uganda Criminal Investigation Department (CID) recommended the prosecution of officials involved in the degree saga.

An investigation report handed to Uganda’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on February 10, 2014 and seen by the Sunday Nation, says some officials at Kampala University — from which Mr Joho claims a degree — and the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) have frustrated investigations.

“The DPP should evaluate the assembled evidence to enable him form an opinion as to whether there are any criminal acts by Kampala University officials, NCHE and Hassan Ali Joho during the commission of the offence and after,” Uganda’s CID director Grace Akullo said.

The protracted saga surrounding Mr Joho’s academic credentials is replete with petitions and counter petitions filed in Kenyan courts seeking to annul his election as governor on the grounds he does not hold a university degree as required by law.

Mr Joho attended his graduation ceremony on February 28, 2013 at the university where he ostensibly obtained a degree in business administration. His certificate shows he earned a Second Class Upper division.

Just before last year’s General Election, Mr Joho was cleared by the High Court in Nairobi after which his opponents moved to court in Mombasa arguing that the degree was not genuine.

And on Thursday, a Mombasa voter filed an affidavit in court demanding that Mr Joho be prosecuted for perjury in respect to a case filed last year where the Cord politician was cleared.

Ms Janet Mbete says the governor may have lied under oath when he claimed to be a holder of a business administration degree from Kampala University. The application will be heard on March 14. Mr Joho has consistently denied such claims.

The investigation findings, which may have far-reaching consequences for the university, allege the institution may have lowered its standards to accommodate Mr Joho and subsequently awarded him a degree. The police accused the university of failing to provide enough evidence to either clear or implicate Mr Joho.

“Kampala University authorities should co-operate and provide all the required information that they have that can prove that Hassan Ali Joho passed through due process instead of concealing evidence,” Ms Akullo said.

The report also casts NCHE, Uganda’s supreme higher education standards body, in a bad light for failing to properly verify the papers and check the procedures used to admit Mr Joho, including scrutinising his Kenyan academic records.

“Lack of cooperation by NCHE officials who refused to be interviewed and failed to appear for interrogation, yet NCHE made the final clearance, and travel schedules indicated that he (Joho) was absent for most of the duration of the alleged study,” says the report.

Kampala University

However, Kampala University vice-chancellor Badru Kateregga says he is happy with the progress and is waiting for the case to be taken to court.

“We are not worried; we are happy that the case has gone that far. At least now we can fight in court”, said Prof Kateregga .

The handing over of the investigation report to Uganda’s DPP comes at a time when the High Court in Kampala has issued an order temporarily barring police from investigating the case.

The interim order was issued by Justice Elizabeth Musoke pending the hearing and determination of an application by NCHE challenging the mandate of police to investigate the matter.

But by the time interim orders were issued, police had completed the investigation and handed over the report.

The NCHE wrote to the CID last year seeking help in investigating Mr Joho’s degree. But later, NCHE executive director Asibo Opuda wrote to the CID asking them to stop the investigations since the council had concluded Mr Joho’s degree was genuine.

Police alleged Prof Kateregga told them Mr Joho’s case was about politics in Kenya, and he did not see why Ugandan authorities should interfere.

The report quotes Prof Kateregga asking, “Why should CID in Kampala fight for a person who lost a case in the Kenyan High Court?”

The investigations questioned Mr Joho’s academic records, including his admission that he had scored a low mean grade on the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.

The investigators also took interest in how Mr Joho paid all his tuition fees on August 7, 2009 for the three-year programme in lump sum, days before his admission date.

The report further alleges there is no record to show Mr Joho ever paid other required fees like application, admission, caution, library, medical insurance, computer laboratory or examinations.

The Ugandan authorities are also seeking answers in the governor’s immigration records, some of which are alleged to show him leaving the country yet there are no records indicating his arrival.

In other instances, there are supposed arrival records without indications of departure.

The report further says Mr Joho never stayed in Uganda for more than three days during this period of study despite the fact the in-service programme he was supposed to have been attending required him to be present for at least two weeks.