Former Nyaribari Chache MP Chris Bichage on Wednesday admitted that he is facing a criminal charge of obtaining money through false pretence.
He disclosed this when he was being cross-examined during the hearing of an election petition he has filed against the incumbent Richard Tong'i.
"Can you tell this court whether you ever faced a criminal charge and if yet what is it?" Omogeni put the question to Bichage.
He was tasked to tell the court whether he disclosed to EACC that he is facing the criminal charge during the filling of the self-declaration
forms.
The law requires that any person seeking an electoral seat makes such disclosure but Bichage said he did not do so ahead of the August 8 vote.
Omogeni, who is also Nyamira Senator, at the same time tasked the former
MP to tell the court how many times he has vied for the seat and from when.
Bichage said that he started contesting in 1992 but lost in all the races except for 2013 when he won but his election was annulled six months after he took office.
He emerged third with 10,145 votes during the August poll. Tongi and Zaheer Jhanda garnered 14,140 and 11,710 votes respectively.
The petitioner is challenging the credibility of the polls singling out disparities, lack of fairness and transparency in the process.
During the cross-examination by Festus Terer who is representing IEBC and returning officer, Bichage said that he lost votes in 46 polling stations across the constituency.
But he was unable to tell the court presided by Justice Anthony Ndung’u how many votes he lost.
"The witness is unable to tell the court many votes he lost in the
46 polling stations he is claiming," Terer said adding that the ex-MP was on a manufacturing spree to generate the forms attached in
his petition.
Bichage was supposed to be re-examined by Philemon Ochwangí who was sitting in
for lead lawyer Oguttu Mboya but appeared fatigued forcing the court
adjourn to give him time to see a doctor for examination.
Speaking to journalists at Aghakan Hospital in Kisii, the former MP said he had a bad headache.
The hearing continues.