Two Secretaries at the Supreme Court on Thursday surprised a tribunal probing corruption allegations against Judge Philip Tunoi, who is accused of receiving a Sh200 Million bribe to influence the outcome of an election petition.
Sarah Wanjiku Maina and Sophia Nyai, who are secretaries to Judges of the Supreme court Njoki Ndung'u and Justice Tunoi respectively, firmly denied ever seeing Geoffrey Kiplagat at the court contradicting statements in Kiplagat's affidavit.
Justice Ndung'u's Secretary, Ms Wanjiku, disputed evidence given by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) Ombudsman Kennedy Bidali that she informed him that Mr Kiplagat was a frequent visitor to Tunoi's office in 2014.
Mr Bidali had told the JSC special committee that Ms Wanjiku disclosed to him that Kiplagat was a regular visitor to the judge's office between May and August 2014, and she had regularly served him tea and made him comfortable.
The secretary denied setting his eyes on Kiplagat and laughed off claims that she served him tea and offered newspapers whenever he called on Tunoi at the office.
Justice Tunoi and Ms Ndung'u reportedly share a reception where their two secretaries sit with a single entry point to their chambers although Tunoi has a separate door.
Also appearing before the tribunal was Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero’s Secretary Ms Alice Makhungu Masasi, who also denied claims that Kiplagat had ever visited the Governor's office.
In his affidavit, Mr Kiplagat alleged that he had been to Justice Tunoi’s office at least 10 times in 2014, and that he was often served tea at the reception.
The tribunal chaired by Mr Sharad Rao is investigating claims by Kiplagat that Justice Tunoi received a Sh200 Million bribe from Governor Kidero during an election petition filed by his then rival, now Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu.
