MP Jessica Mbalu protests to tribunal over invasion of her privacy

An MP yesterday protested to the tribunal investigating the conduct of suspended High Court judge Joseph Mutava over invasion of her privacy.

Kibwezi East lawmaker Jessica Mbalu complained over the tribunal's decision to print out her phone conversations.

She said this was a breach of her right to privacy and that making the conversations public would threaten her marriage.

Ms Mbalu, who is judge Mutava's wife, was roped into the tribunal's proceedings after businesswoman Rose Mbithe claimed before the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that she used the MP's cellphone to reach the judge to help her influence a property suit she was involved in.

The Sehit Investments director had, however, recanted the testimony when she appeared before the tribunal chaired by appellate judge David Maranga.

Ms Mbithe told the tribunal that she was "under pressure and could not think" when she testified.

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Mbalu further protested the tribunal's decision to summon her through National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.

"This matter has traumatised me and my family for the last four years. It is like an attack on my family," she protested.

She read political witch-hunt in the decision to investigate her phone calls and making her conversations public.

According to Mbalu, the tribunal should have printed out Mbithe's conversations to ascertain if she indeed talked to Mutava.

But judge Maranga defended the decision.

"We just wanted to verify whether your number was used to communicate with Mbithe. There is nothing we could do about your number going public since the judge allowed the proceedings to be in public," he explained.

The MP admitted knowing Mbithe and confirmed that she introduced her to the judge. She, however, denied that her phone was used by her husband to talk to the businesswoman over the suit house in Karen.

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, who had been summoned by the tribunal, will testify before the tribunal on June 8.