Esther Maina: Gachagua Wants Judge Who Ruled against His KSh 200m Case Removed from Office

 

Elgeyo-Marakwet - Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said he will file a petition at the Judiciary Service Commission against the High Court Judge who declared his KSh 200 million proceeds of crime. DP Rigathi Gachagua speaking in Iten on Sunday, January 14. Why Gachagua wants Justice Esther Maina dismissed During a church service in Iten Sports Ground on Sunday, January 14, Gachagua said he would seek the removal of Justice Esther Maina from office on grounds of gross misconduct and corruption   Gachagua disclosed that he will file the petition before the Chief Justice Martha Koome-led commission on Thursday, January 18, at 2.15pm. "On Thursday, this coming week at 2:15 pm, I will personally present a petition before Lady Chief Justice Martha Koome against Justice Esther Maina for her removal from the Judiciary for misconduct and corruption," Gachagua said. According to Gachagua, Justice Maina tainted his image by unceremoniously declaring his fortune as the proceeds of crime. He argued that the judge denied him an opportunity to explain how he acquired the KSh 200 million, a move he said was against the rules of evidence. "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 added. The second-in-command further challenged CJ Koome to make all petitions filed against judicial officers public, arguing it was one way of rooting out corruption in the judiciary. "We want to ask her Ladyship to tell Kenyans how many complaints have been filed against judicial officers, how many she has dealt with and the timeline to conclude those petitions," the DP said. How graft cases Rigathi Gachagua unfolded In 2021, the then-Mathira MP was arrested by DCI detectives over money laundering-related charges. Gachagua was released on KSh 12 million cash bail after he denied receiving KSh 7 billion illegally. Later, an Anti-corruption court allowed an application by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) to withdraw the KSh 7.3 billion graft case against Gachagua. Then DPP Nordin Haji claimed George Kinoti pushed for the prosecution of Gachagua, who was then the Mathira MP, despite insufficient evidence linking him directly to the charges. 

by  Amos Khaemba