Nairobi, Kenya: Bribery allegations rent the air as rival factions of the Law Society of Kenya accused each other of corruptly influencing the outcome of Saturday’s aborted Annual General Meeting.
Society chairman Eric Mutua roped the Office of the President into the saga, accusing unspecified officials of sponsoring the rival ‘Okoa LSK’ group, which took over the AGM in the morning and proceeded to make drastic resolutions.
Mutua claimed the group, which took over the annual general meeting after shouting him down, had been given Sh20 million through a lawyer “who is closely related to a Cabinet Secretary”.
Okoa LSK’s Alex Gatundu, however, denounced the claims, and accused Mutua of clutching onto straws.
He claimed Mutua’s group bribed “young and gullible lawyers” with Sh10,000 to spread propaganda against his side ahead of yesterday’s meeting.
The society has in recent weeks been embroiled in controversy amid corruption claims that have also swept across key oversight institutions, including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Assembly.
Inflated cost
At the heart of yesterday’s wrangles was a Sh1.2 billion arbitration centre project, whose cost Okoa Kenya says is inflated.
“We have been information that a meeting was held in Harambee House, in the office of a senior government official. Sh20 million was released to a lawyer who is closely related to a cabinet secretary.
“This money was used to run adverts in the media, upload a 10-minute video on YouTube, and provide transport and accommodation for advocates to disrupt the AGM,” Mutua claimed.
The society chairman said all resolutions arrived at by the Okoa LSK group remained null and void as he had adjourned the meeting when it turned rowdy. He said the date and venue of the next AGM would be communicated later.
When we reached LSK vice chair Lilian Omondi over the identity of the ‘senior government official’, she cited ongoing investigations and defamation: “We cannot name him for obvious reasons. But someone we know attended the meeting and witnessed it all.”
Gatundu, on the other hand, claimed young advocates in Nakuru were bribed by Mutua’s group to run a cyber propaganda in which he was implicated in clandestine meetings with government officials.
“It is a desperate attempt to disparage the profession. If any money was used, it is not by Okoa LSK. It is the other side which fired on all cylinders to influence young and gullible advocates,” Gatundu said.
Yesterday, Mutua said he adjourned the meeting to “forestall violence.” He cited Regulation 39 of the LSK (general) regulations.
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He said the council would review video footage of the proceedings with a view to taking both criminal and disciplinary proceedings against members who misconducted themselves.
Investigate allegations
Mutua added that the council would also investigate allegations that some members had been “purposely given instructions” to disrupt the AGM.
Further, the chairman said, the council would immediately report to the police members who were intercepted with weapons.
Gatundu’s group, however, insisted that the actions they took yesterday were legitimate.
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