Okemo, Gichuru fate sealed

Written By:Rufus Hunja/Carol Gakii,    Posted: Tue, May 24, 2011

Nambale MP Chris Okemo The fate of Nambale MP Chris Okemo and former Kenya Power and Lighting Company Managing Director Samuel Gichuru who are wanted in the United Kingdom to face charges of money laundering seem to have been sealed. Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo says the government must comply with the request and extradite the two to the UK. Fielding questions from journalists Tuesday morning, Mutula said it is an embarrassment in to the country for a foreign country to investigate crimes that could have been dealt with locally. This comes barely a day after Attorney General Amos Wako ordered the Director of Public Prosecutions to scrutinize evidence provided by the United Kingdom government before the extradition process can commence. Mutula says such crimes are punishable under the country's constitution and faults the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission for not investigating the two.    On Monday, the Attorney General met police commissioner Mathew Iteere who handed over his report before meeting the British Minister for Africa and the United Nations who handed over the evidence against the two. Should the evidence be found admissible under the Kenyans jurisdiction and in line with international tries ratified by Kenya, the two will be arrested and flown to the UK Island of Jersey to face trials. Wako says the UK government has also agreed to help in the search and arrest of former Triton Chief Yagnesh Devani who is wanted in Kenya for corruption charges. Iteere says the crimes leveled against the Okemo and Gichuru are punishable under the Kenyan constitution and both will be arrested when the directive comes.   Elsewhere, Mutula says the wrangles that have dogged the parliamentary committee on administration of Justice and Legal Affairs were cosmetic and aimed at derailing the constitution implementation process. Mutula says the implementation process was way behind schedule and called on President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to intervene and resolve the issue as soon as possible. The minister says bills crucial to the implementation process are yet to be dealt with due to the differences that have emerged in the Ababu Namwamba led committee. The wrangles among the members of the committee threaten to stall the vetting of the three nominees for Judiciary and State Law Office. Last week National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende referred the matter to the relevant committee, which in this case should be the troubled Justice and Legal Affairs team. The committee was given until Wednesday to table its recommendations to the House to enable MPs debate the report and conclude the matter on Thursday. However, the Law Society of Kenya says it is not mandatory for the committee to handle the list of nominees.