In just under a week, a second judge has recused himself from Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko's case which he filed to stop an ongoing impeachment motion.
Justice Nzioki Wa Makau stated that he withdrew from the case after Nairobi County Assembly lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, made an application seeking to disqualify him from the case over alleged bias.
In the application, Njiru accused the judge of receiving a Ksh7 million bribe from the governor in order to rule in favour of the case. The judge has since refuted the claims.
“Without any written motion before me, the counsel for the third respondent, one Mr. Njiru, sought my recusal. In his submissions, he made some laughable allegations that I have been given some Sh7 million by Mike Sonko Mbuvi the petitioner herein,” justice Makau said.
His resignation came nearly a week after Judge James Rika recused himself from the case. This is after matters got heated in the courtroom between the lawyers representing both parties.
The senate has since set a date for the hearing of the governor's impeachment.
On Wednesday, December 9, the house agreed to convene on December 17th and 18th to deliberate on the charges levelled against Governor Sonko.
Speaker Ken Lusaka stated that the proceedings would be conducted in a hybrid system where senators were given the choice of either participating either virtually or in the House.
Sonko was impeached on Thursday, December 3, after a total of 88 MCAs out of 122 voted to kick him out of office.
He was impeached over allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office.
