Okemo, Gichuru extradition hearing postponed

By Evelyn Kwamboka

A case in which the State is seeking to extradite Nambale MP Chris Okemo and former Kenya Power Managing Director Samuel Gichuru to Jersey Island, UK, has failed to proceed.

The two, who were accompanied by their lawyer, yesterday left Nairobi’s Milimani Law Courts when the magistrate announced it would not be heard.

Chief Magistrate Teresiah Ngugi said she could not take out the matter from the cause list, since the hearing had been allocated two days.

"The matter will be mentioned on October 17 for directions before the trial court," she said.

This was after State Counsel Warui told the court his colleague Patrick Kiage, who is handling the case, will be in Court of Appeal on Monday over a different matter.

In the case filed by Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko, the two through their lawyer, Fred Ngatia, are fighting extradition to Jersey Island, to answer money laundering and corruption charges.

In filing the case, Tobiko exercised powers bestowed upon him by the Constitution and asked the Chief Magistrate’s Court to issue warrants of arrest for the suspects.

The charges against them are based on Section 7(1) of the Extradition (Commonwealth Countries) Act, Chapter 77 of the Laws of Kenya — read together with Section seven of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.The prosecution’s team is relying on evidence mailed to Kenya from UK.