Magistrate says MP Peter Salasya threatened to kill her over ruling

Magistrate Gladys Nashipai Kiama claims Mumias East MP Peter Salasya (inset) made verbal threats at her. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The magistrate who delivered a judgment against Mumias East MP Peter Kalerwa Salasya says her life is in danger. 

In a report filed at the Kakamega Central Police Station some hours following the Monday afternoon judgment, Gladys Nashipai Kiama told the police that the lawmaker made verbal threats at her to the effect he could take away her life. 

“He confronted her outside the courtroom and threatened to kill her and then took off,” reads part of the report filed at the station’s report desk. 

“Investigations have been commenced with a view of apprehending the MP to face appropriate charges,” said an officer.

An insider at the station hinted to The Standard that the first-time lawmaker had previously called and sent text threats to the magistrate at about 1pm before posting what would form “good fodder for defamatory material” on his (Salasya’s) Facebook page at 9pm the same day. 

Full statement

The magistrate, who is expected to record a full statement on the criminal act, said the threats could have emanated from the decision she made in the Kakamega Small Claims Court (SCC) where the MP was a defendant. 

The report attributes to the judgment that, among other things, ordered Salasya to pay his debtor, Robert Lutta, some Sh500,000 he had been loaned. 

The death threat report comes some three weeks after the MP was reported at the same station by lawyer Edwin Wafula for assault. The lawyer is representing Lutta. 

Wafula said in his report (OB No. 02/11/2023) that the lawmaker and two of his aides (including a policeman) took the law in their own hands and assaulted him at a hotel in Kakamega on November 2. 

“It was not until other revellers and the hotel’s management intervened that the MP and his aides fled,” said Wafula. 

Wafula has subsequently sued the MP. 

In the case filed at the Kakamega law court on November 3, Wafula seeks general and punitive damages over ‘degrading’ words trained at injuring his reputation.

Hurling insults  

“The plaintiff (Wafula) avers that on November 2, 2023, at around 6pm, he went to an establishment within Kakamega Town, Vovo, in the company of friends to have coffee when Salasya confronted him and verbally started hurling insults at him in Swahili,” reads his court papers filed by lawyer Derek Mango.  

The lawyer, who also wants Salasya to pay for the cost of the case, said the MP continued with the insults prompting the restaurant’s management to politely order him out for breaching the prevailing peace.  

Wafula says around 7.30pm on the same day (November 2, 2023) he, alongside his friends, decided to relocate to another restaurant, Vault, within Kakamega Town but the MP again, cut in on him with another round of defamatory Swahili insults. 

The lawyer says in his affidavit that he was so disturbed by the implications of the words which tainted his reputation and had no option but to sue the MP who is yet to file a defence after being served with court papers.

By time of going to press, the police had reached the MP with a request to surrender himself at the Kakamega Police Station or they apprehend him.