High Court Judge never asked for Sh2.5 million bribe, tribunal told

A tribunal investigating suspended judge Joseph Mutava yesterday was told he never solicited for a Sh2.5 million bribe.

Sehit Investments Director Rose Mbithe recanted her bribery claims against Justice Mutava, saying she was under extreme pressure when she testified before the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Ms Mbithe told the tribunal that Mutava never solicited for money from her to influence a property suit ruling in her favour.

“I never said Mutava asked for Sh2.5 million bribe. When I met the judge, he told me not to buy justice,” Mbithe told the Justice David Maraga-led tribunal that is investigating Mutava’s suitability to continue serving as a judge.

“You said before JSC that Mutava told you that Leonard Njagi (former judge) wanted Sh2.5 million,” asked Mutava’s lawyer, Nazima Malik, in seeking clarification why she had disowned her testimony.

Mbithe said she was under pressure when she gave the testimony.

She said she had not lodged any complaint to either the retired Justice Njagi or Mutava, but had informed Chief Justice Willy Mutunga about a leaked ruling in the case she was a plaintiff.

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In her testimony before JSC, she said Mutava had told her that Njagi wanted the money for the case to be processed fast.

She, however, confirmed meeting Mutava through his wife, Jessica Mbalu. “I gave him the history of the property and the case, and he said he would find out,” she testified.

On Njagi, she told the tribunal that her brother (deceased) told of somebody in the retired judge’s office who wanted Sh2.5 million to help fast-track the case.

“I was told by my brother that somebody in Njagi’s office told them to give Sh2.5 million for the case to be handled quickly since the judge had over 400 pending cases before him,” she said.

In her testimony, she adversely mentioned top city lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi for soliciting money.

She said Mr Abdullahi had first asked for Sh4 million through one Rashid Hussein, who was a family friend.

“Abdullahi is the one who said if I can pay Sh11 million, then I give Sh20 and 30 million to him, he would sort out the people in the bank who were also behind it,” she said.

But after the house in Karen was valued at Sh220 million, the lawyer asked for half the value to help her.