NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 18 – Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dropped his planned petition against Justice Esther Maina ‘for now’ after making corruption claims against her.
In a statement from his office, the DP welcomed the dialogue on accountability talks between President William Ruto and Chief Justice Martha Koome.
“The Deputy President notes the current national discourse on judicial transparency and application of Article 10 of the Constitution of Kenya on the conduct of Judges and other Judicial Officers,” Gachagua said through his head of communications Njeri Rugene.
“In this regard, the Deputy President will not proceed with the matter of the petition, for now.” Rugene said.
He has urged all Kenyans to support this process.
The DP had pledged to submit the petition where he claimed that he has evidence linking Justice Maina to graft.
The change of mind comes days after President Ruto appeared to be warming up to an invitation by Chief Justice Martha Koome for tripartite talks involving the Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature.
Gachagua had claimed that Justice Maina declared his wealth proceeds of crime without giving him a chance to defend himself hence prompting the petition.
Furthermore, the DP stated that he had evidence linking Justice Maina to graft.
“Against the rules of evidence where who he alleges must prove, we made an application to cross examine the investigator and she refused because she knew there was no case,” he stated.
“Those Kenyans who have petitions let them file.I ask willing Kenyans to join me on Thursday so that they process this petitions,” Gachagua urged.
On July 2022 months before the polls, Justice Maina ordered Gachagua, to forfeit Sh202 million for being proceeds of corruption. She said the lawmaker could not prove how he raised the money.
The case emanated from Gachagua’s three personal accounts where the Assets Recovery Unit conducted a series of huge suspicious debit transactions amounting to Sh7.3 billion.
Gachagua vowed to appeal the decision accusing Justice Maina of bias moving to the Court of Appeal to stay the orders.
In November 2022, months after Kenya Kwanza Alliance won the polls the Anti-Corruption Court terminated his Sh7.3 billion corruption case over lack of evidence.
The Deputy President accused the Law Society of Kenya of hypocrisy for staging demonstrations following President Ruto’s attack on the Judiciary questioning their alleged silence during violation of law in the previous regime.
“It’s now time to work. When the President got to power he was very kind to the Judiciary. When President Kenyatta refused to appoint the 21 judges they never said anything, in extrajudicial killings they didn’t speak.Right now is when they are coming out,” Gachagua noted.
