Fr Jan Czuba goes to trial on allegations of official corruption as witnesses are cross examined

BY TREVOUR WAHUNE

A national court judge has questioned the department of higher education research science and technology (DHERST) manager for the national online selection system Daniel Kereka, what his  understanding was about the online selection system.

Acting judge Laura Kuvi's questions last Friday were in relation to a criminal case, filed against sidelined DHERST secretary Fr. Jan Czuba.

Czuba is facing allegations of abuse of office and official corruption in court.

Fr Jan Czuba AHC Facebook

Kereka, who was the sixth witness called, only gave his opinions about the advantages and the disadvantages of the national online selection system,  providing little substance on records and evidences of corruption or abuse of office, in the case against Fr. Jan. 

Lawyer Edward Sasingian, when cross examining Kereka said the online selection system was moved forward by former DHERST deputy secretary operations Steven Matainaho, who had an IT background and all paper work for the project had been audited for. 

This was after lawyer Trish Aihi, from the office of the public prosecutor asked Kereka, to outline the advantages and the disadvantages of the online selection system, and what its operational costs were to the government. 

Justice Kuvi, upon hearing Kereka's statement said what he was saying was not backed with any proper records, and had not established anything relevant. 

Meanwhile the investigating officer in the case Timothy Gitua, who is an officer attached with the national fraud office was also called to give evidence last week.

 His arrest and charging of Fr. Jan were also questioned by the court, because Gitua used documents that had been cleared by finance and treasury, and that no specific document was identified as being relevant to the arrest of Fr. Jan, concerning his engagement of a Polish Company, PSG accademia, to develop the National online selection system. 

Meanwhile, the last two witnesses to appear tomorrow this week to give evidence will be  the state solicitor and an officer from the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) who will verify IPA documents, concerning payments made to PSG Accademia.