Interior Principal Secretary, Karanja Kibicho, and Attorney General, Paul Kihara Kariuki, have paid Ksh5.3 million to clear their names over a shooting incident that happened over seven years.
Kibicho and Kihara were staring at possible jail terms after they were cited for contempt of court over the failure to pay the victim's family.
This incident involved a motorist, Edward Ng’ang’a Kuria, who was unlawfully shot dead by a police officer on September 24, 2009, while driving on the Mombasa - Nairobi highway.
In 2013, Lucy Nduta filed a case at the Magistrate Court as a representative of the estate demanding compensation.
The case, in which Kibicho and Kihara were dragged into, started taking turns as the duo failed to honour court summons and obeying the directive to compensate the family.
But during the Tuesday, November 2, hearing session, Nduta told the court that she had been compensated by the two.
“We were paid last week. We are happy. The matter can be marked as settled,” her lawyer, Origi Owino, told the court.
Confirming the complete transaction, State Counsel Nguyo Wachira representing Kibicho and Kihara told the court that the matter has been settled.
Presiding Judge, John Mativo of the Mombasa High Court, marked the case as settled through consent.
The duo was to appear in court on October 18 for sentencing over failure to compensate the claimant Ksh5.3 million. The Judge was also considering locking them in for contempt of court.
“On July 29, the court ordered Mr Kibicho and the AG to appear before it. The order remains in force. The said persons are required to appear in court on November 2 at 8am,” Justice Mativo stated.
Defending their move, the duo stated that they had plans to compensate the family. On jailing them, the Judge stated that the two powerful government officials can only be jailed if they physically present themselves before the court.
Nduta, in her case, had informed the court that the law enforcement officers used excessive force and breached arrest procedures before fatally shooting Kuria.
The court after corroborating her accusations directed Kibicho and AG Kihara to facilitate the compensation process and finally, the case has been closed.
