A defamation suit filed by former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru against former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Tuesday took a new twist after the judge issued a tough order against the Opposition leader.
Odinga was given six weeks to serve Ms Waiguru with a list of interrogatory questions that he would like answered.
In the legal procedure, interrogatories are a set of questions that a party in a suit sends to an adversary who needs clarification on the facts of the case.
In Waiguru's suit, Odinga will be given a blank cheque to question Waiguru on any matters relating to the Sh791 Million NYS scandal.
Once served with the questions, Waiguru will then decide whether to answer the questions or not.
If she decides to answer them, then her response will form part of the evidence in the defamation suit.
Based on the information given, Odinga will also decide whether to concede or defend himself.
Waiguru, who is currently seeking to become the next Kirinyaga governor on a Jubilee ticket, wants Raila found liable, claiming his assertions that she was aware of the NYS theft meant that she used her position in the government to engage in corruption.
“He portrayed me as a woman of low moral standing, who is involved in unethical and professional misconduct,” the former CS told the court.
The ODM leader has indicated that his defence lies in the testimony of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, his wish to have the head of state testify is unlikely to materialize since the constitution shields a sitting president from civil proceedings.
