Venezuelan could remotely access entire IEBC data, add, delete, edit or manipulate - DCI

Sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have released a statement detailing the evidence gathered from three Venezuelan nationals at the center of claims of interfering with Kenya’s presidential elections.

Salvador Javier Suarez, Jose Castellano and Joel Garcia were intercepted at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on July 21, 2022.

In the statement released on Friday, August 26 in response to the Raila Odinga and Martha Karua petition filed at the Supreme Court of Kenya, DCI confirmed that the trio had access to key election materials such as KIEMS kit and passwords of IEBC personnel.

The DCI confirmed in its affidavit that Castellano had access to a level that he be able to access the system and manipulate data if he so wished, data that has become so crucial in the Supreme Court petition challenging president-elect William Ruto’s victory.

“It was established that the confiscated exhibits had substantial information held in the IEBC systems are in full control of foreign employees of M/S Smartmatic International Holdings B.V. and Seamless Limited who have been contracted by IEBC.

“Castellano was in a position to remotely access the entire IEBC data and has the capacity to add, delete, edit or manipulate in any manner the entire IEBC system," the report detailed.

According to the DCI, 2 Kenyans working at the commission had access to the system that could also be accessed by 19 others.

To confirm if there was any infiltration, the DCI recommended that the IEBC system should be audited.

Azimio la Umoja coalition, led by Raila Odinga have maintained that IEBC staff colluded with Kenya Kwanza to rig the presidential elections in favour of William Ruto.

An affidavit filed by IEBC Commissioner Justus Nyang'aya states that Forms 34A sent to IEBC servers were intercepted and manipulated by foreigners.