Fresh details have emerged regarding the employment history of one of the contractors working for the electoral commission arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday, July 21.
Joel Gustavo Rodriguez was arrested when he, alongside Salvador Javier Suarez, arrived at the busy airport to check up on Jose Gregoria Camargo Castella, who had been detained shortly after arriving in the country from Panama.
Rodriguez’s Linkedin profile indicates that he is an employee of M/S Smartmatic International Holdings B.V – a company contracted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to supply, test and maintain software, hardware and accessories for the election slated for August 9. This is contrary to police reports that he is not an employee of Smartmatic.
The Venezuelan has worked for the company for 10 years and three months. He joined the company in May 2015 as Global Services Warehouse and Logistic Global Manager.
Currently, he serves as Global Services Sr. Deployment Manager, a position he has held for five years.
“As Global Service Sr Deployment Manager I manage and direct the Field Services Warehouse and Logistics and Technology Deployment of the business operations. As a leader and functional owner of this responsibility, I define standardized global policies, processes and methodologies for service delivery, warehouse and logistics, and technology deployment,” the profile reads in part.
“I ensure the Global Services team functions within these established standardized global policies, processes and methodologies to ensure successful project deployments.”
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had earlier said Rodriguez’s colleague Castella was arrested after election materials (stickers) were found in his personal luggage.
The other two colleagues were also detained by authorities after it emerged that they had allegedly sneaked similar materials into the country on July 15, sparking protests from IEBC.
IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati said the trio was in the country to help the commission deploy election technology ahead of the August polls.
While dismissing Chebukati’s statement, DCI boss George Kinoti said the three had been invited into the country by Abdulahi Abdi Mohammed, the CEO of Seamless Limited and not IEBC.
Further, DCI said the suspects had travelled into the country using expired passports from Venezuela.
“During interrogation, Camargo was asked if he had any contact of anybody in the republic of Kenya and in particular IEBC however he could not give any contact other than the contact of the apartment he was booked at,” DCI said.
While accusing Chebukati of playing ‘dirty games’, the DCI confirmed to have confiscated a laptop and flash disks from Castella.
“We are challenging Chebukati to put his house in order and walk the talk of delivering his own words free fair and credible general election. He should desist from intimidating and blackmailing other equally responsible players in conducting their duties by constantly misusing the media,” DCI added.
